


Now that heaven is on fire and the world's technicolor

by noctlis



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Slow Burn, This is basically my ideal FFXV plot, and flowery language, badass prompto, lots of hand holding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2019-06-23 23:04:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 40,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15616983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noctlis/pseuds/noctlis
Summary: Noctis may be fated to die, but Prompto is not about to let that happen, not without a fight.or: An au where Prompto is Noct's guardian angel.





	1. A dream

Prompto is dreaming.

At least, he's pretty sure he is. Everything around him is white and blurred, as if he's looking at the world through a window that's coated in fog, the kind of fog that no matter how hard he wipes at it, it never quite goes away. He feels very much like he's floating. His limbs are feathery in weight and there's a numbness spreading throughout his body that freezes over his lungs and stops his heartbeat in his chest, as if he's covered in a layer of ice, under the surface with no way up. However… it's not distressing, he finds. He's rather calm all things considered. He lets himself float and he waits.

And he is waiting, he knows that for sure.

After seconds, minutes, hours, eternities, Prompto begins to hear something. It starts as a low hum, a sensation that vibrates in the space surrounding him and reverberates inside his skull like a low roar of thunder. After a couple moments, he recognizes the sound as a voice, almost indistinguishable, muffled and quiet like it's being filtered through an old radio that isn't on the right frequency. Prompto listens as hard as he can.

Just as quickly as the voice had come, it starts to fade away, dissolving into static,dissolving into the white. Prompto wants to ask it to stay- he has more questions than any semblance of answers- but no words form and he can't open his mouth. He just floats and listens until the rumble is gone and all he's left with is the ringing in his ears, a steady pulse that swims into his head and takes root there. Prompto doesn't know what it means, but he feels something stirring in him, something deep and heavy and significant.

"You are the chosen one," it whispers. "Only you can save the king."

 

\---

 

Prompto cracks open his eyes to the low light of Noct's apartment. 

He hadn't even been aware that he had fallen asleep in the first place and he's a bit disoriented as he shifts, remnants of sleep still clouding his mind while he attempts to make sense of his situation. The last thing he remembers is studying with Noct earlier that night, textbook open on the coffee table in front of him as he tried to grasp the concepts for the upcoming exam. He had been doing more studying than Noct seemed capable of, and Noct was complaining where he lay on the sofa beside Prompto, about how the day just wasn't a good one for studying or being productive in any sense of the word. Prompto had scoffed and teased him but now, with a kink in his neck and his back somewhat stiff where it's held up against the back of the sofa, apparently because he fell asleep while sitting up, Prompto can't help thinking that maybe Noct had been right all along.

He can feel his phone captured between his thigh and the cushion under him where he had likely dropped it when he unceremoniously passed out. But more importantly, he realizes gradually as his mind becomes more aware of his surroundings the very pointed and familiar warmth that is spread across his lap. One glance down confirms his suspicions and almost instantly a light fluttering fills up his chest, pattering under his rib cage like bird wings as he gazes down with what must be a fondness bordering on cringe worthy. Noct is sleeping comfortably in his lap, his head resting just at Prompto's hip while his arms are wrapped haphazardly around Prompto's waist. His body is propped up on Prompto's thighs, his legs curled up beside him so that his knees are against the back of the sofa, almost pressing into the small of Prompto's back. 

Unbearably cute.

Without thinking, Prompto reaches out and threads his fingers gently through Noct's hair. The strands are soft to his touch- always are, really- and Noct grunts at the contact, belatedly leaning into Prompto's hand without opening his eyes. He nuzzles further into Prompto's lap and Prompto can't help a small laugh. Like a cat, he thinks.

"Sorry for waking you," he says after a few more moments of stroking Noct's hair. Noct grunts again, voice muffled into the fabric of Prompto's shirt when he speaks.

"S'okay." He stretches a little, arches his back and releases a yawn before adding hoarsely, voice still laced with sleep, "What time is it?"

Prompto has to maneuver around their current position so he can dislodge his phone from its current hiding spot. "Almost midnight," he says after flipping it open.

Noct sighs. "Damn… So much for studying."

"You say that like you were actually studying in the first place," Prompto laughs again.

"I could have been," Noct mumbles. He huffs a bit, and Prompto feels the ghost of warm breath brush a small slip of skin just between the edge of his shirt and the waistband of his jeans. He almost shivers at the sensation, but manages to keep himself still somehow and ruffles Noct's already messy hair.

"Yeah, sure," he coos, light and teasing. Noct responds by hitting his knee against Prompto's side, falling silent again as Prompto grins despite knowing Noct can't see it.

The quiet stretches on a bit while Noct seems to be dozing off, his breathing growing heavy once more, and Prompto considers his plans for the night. It's too late to catch a bus home, and certainly too late to call Ignis and ask for a ride. He could walk but being out in the middle of the night never feels comfortable and it would still end up taking him at least fifteen minutes even if he walked fast. He absentmindedly begins tracing circles into Noct's back as he thinks, only noticing what he's doing when Noct lets out a contented sigh.

And then Noct speaks again, his next words effectively making Prompto's decision for him. "Let's get in bed," he grumbles softly. Prompto doesn't- can't- miss the implications there, warmth spreading from where Noct rests on his lap up into his chest, enveloping his heart like a blanket. Noct has gotten good at this, saying what he wants without actually saying it outright. And Prompto doesn't mind, because he reads in those moments how much Noct trusts him, wants him around, and just how close they've become, how easy it is for him to understand Noct's language.

"You got it, buddy," he says.

It takes a bit of effort to get up off the sofa because Noct's still clinging to Prompto, weighing him down as he makes almost no attempt to stand on his own, and even once they're on their feet, Noct immediately starts leaning over, nearly toppling right to the floor before Prompto manages to shift underneath him and hold him up. He carefully leads Noct to his room where the both of them somehow manage to change into sleepwear. Noct has a spare pair of sweatpants and a tank that he keep specifically at the top of one of his drawers, and he's never mentioned why but he doesn't have to. Prompto knows why anyway, warmth building just under his skin as he slips on the pieces of clothing as if they were his own.

Afterward, Noct flops ungracefully onto his bed, doesn't even bother to pull the blankets over himself, and Prompto rolls his eyes before he yanks them out from under Noct and climbs in beside him, lifting the sheets up over the both of them. Once Prompto is settled in, Noct doesn't hesitate to cuddle closer again, shifting until his back is pressed to Prompto's chest, their legs tangled together, humming in satisfaction when Prompto's arm comes up to wrap around his waist. This is usually how they sleep, a mess of limbs intertwined, holding each other and breathing the same air like one large entity instead of two teenage boys who don't know know what personal space means. And Prompto doesn't mind this either. He always sleeps better like this, when his heartbeat matches the rhythm of Noct's and Noct is so warm in his arms, gentle touch lulling his eyes into drooping more and more, until he's sure he's mere moments from falling fast asleep.

But just as his eyelids flutter shut, something flashes in his mind, familiar and bright, a blinding white that has his eyes shooting open once more. 

That's right, he thinks. He had had that dream again.

The same dream that has returned to haunt him several times over the past couple years, playing in his sleep just when he had started to forget about it. It first appeared to him the night after he had received the letter from Lunafreya, the very night Prompto had decided he would befriend Noctis in the first place. And it's the same every time: suffocating white that envelops him, a voice that speaks to him urgently, and an accompanying feeling, so strong, almost overwhelming, that there's something he needs to do. He doesn't know what, can't even begin to fathom what it all means, but it feels significant somehow, sparks something in his chest that lights off a chain reaction into his bloodstream, spreading throughout his body in steady waves.

"Hey, Noct," he says quietly, leaning to brush his nose to the back of Noct's neck. He waits, listens to the soft sound of Noct's slowed breathing, half convinced that Noct is already asleep again. But after a few more seconds, Noct grunts.

"What?" The word is slurred and barely audible as Noct moves to lace his fingers with Prompto's.

Prompto tries to figure out what he wants to say, his mind a swirling mass of unfinished sentences and thoughts he can't put into words, doesn't even know how to process. He swallows. "Have you ever felt… like your dreams were trying to tell you something?"

Noct is quiet again, chest rising and falling while Prompto listens and waits.

Finally, Noct answers. "Maybe," he mumbles. "Dunno what, though…"

Prompto lets out a shaky sigh. "Me either…" he says.

Noct yawns and settles against Prompto again, limbs heavy with sleep, and before Prompto can even catch up with his emotions, he's suddenly struck by the most intense feeling he's ever felt. He hardly knows how to describe it but it's so overpowering he almost feels like he can't breathe, like the air can't quite make it to his lungs. He clings tightly to Noct, his heartbeat racing a mile a minute, pounding like it wants to break free from the confines of his chest, and all Prompto can think is how he needs Noct to be closer. He needs to protect Noct.

"Prom…" Noct says, concern seeping into his tired voice. "You okay?"

Prompto doesn't respond right away, doesn't think he could even if he wanted to. He just holds Noct close and tries to ground himself in the warmth shared between them, in knowing that Noct is here, safe in his arms, and they're both alright.

The feeling eventually dissipates after a few moments, as quickly as it had come, and Prompto's heartbeat slows to normal as he finds his breath again, his lungs heaving in his chest.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. 

Prompto loosens his grip, allows himself to sink into the bed and relax next to Noct, the shaking in his limbs steadily petering out. His voice rumbles in his throat as he leans in again, resting his head between Noct's shoulder blades. "Yeah… I'm okay," he whispers. He's suddenly exhausted and he finds comfort in the way Noct squeezes his hand, allowing his eyes to slip shut once more. So tired… Whatever that was, he can forget about it for now. All he needs is Noct. "Goodnight, Noct," he says softly.

If Noct had wanted to question him further, he doesn't let it show and instead hums quietly, his affectionate voice ringing in Prompto's ears as he settles back in. "Night, Prom," he replies.

Prompto sleeps a peaceful, dreamless sleep that night.


	2. First, it's a spark

"Hey, no fair! You're cheating!"

"All's fair in video games and war, Noct."

"One more round! I'm going to win the next one for sure."

"Oh, you're on!"

Noct's apartment is filled with noise, the TV's volume turned up much louder than is probably necessary for a weekend afternoon while Prompto and Noctis play video games and shout obscenities at each other when the other bests them. They've been at it for several hours already since the both of them woke up around noon, and don't show any signs of stopping, not for studying, not for royal duties, and certainly not for Ignis, who's dropping by later to cook dinner and bring some documents. Even if he chides them, Prompto is pretty sure Noct would just ignore him anyway and put in a new game for them to play, and how is Prompto supposed to turn that down.

Prompto loves weekends like this, where they get to relax and just have fun for a while with no other pressing obligations, where all that matters is spending time together doing whatever they feel like doing. Playing video games, movie marathons, just talking about anything that crosses their minds, even napping for absurd amounts of time. Prompto enjoys it all because he's here with Noct.

Predictably, the next round ends with Prompto's victory and Noct swears, dropping his controller onto the ground beside himself, head falling back onto the sofa cushion behind him so he can give Prompto a hard stare. "How are you so damn good at this game?" he asks, narrowing his eyes while Prompto grins at him.

"More like, why are you so bad at it?" he counters, laughing when Noct snags one of the pillows off the cushion and chucks it at him. His aim is off and the pillow soars past Prompto's head to land on the floor behind the sofa. Prompto snorts. "Dude."

"Don't say anything."

Prompto feels a laugh building steadily in his chest, bubbling up with each passing second as he blinks at Noct and Noct playfully glares back at him. It takes only another second for a breathtaking smile to pull unwarranted at the corners of Noct's lips, try as he might to stop it, to keep his face intimidating and serious, and Prompto almost wants to frame his expression with his fingers, to snapshot it so it's imprinted into his mind never to be forgotten. But he doesn't act on the impulse. He lets the moment linger on.

Just as Prompto opens his mouth to tease Noct some more, his friend shoots off the floor and tackles him onto the sofa, the both of them grunting with the impact. Prompto immediately bursts into giggles and struggles halfheartedly while Noct expertly wrestles with him. He doesn't stand much of a chance though, not with Noct's advantageous angle, or Noct using all his weight to pin Prompto down on the sofa, his fingers tickling at Prompto's sides even as Prompto attempts to bat him away. Prompto at least manages to thoroughly muss Noct's hair in the process but he quickly gives up on fighting back and heaves a breathless, contented sigh as Noct goes limp on top of him, ceasing his attacks in order to bury his face into the crook of Prompto's neck. So warm… Prompto lets himself revel in the feeling, his heart vibrating in his chest, arms subconsciously reaching up to wrap around Noct.

They stay like that for awhile, Prompto counting each skip in his heartbeat, and focusing on each time Noct breathes in and out, the air escaping his lips in soft huffs along Prompto's neck and collar bones. "I'm tired," Noct says eventually, muffled into Prompto's skin.

Prompto laughs lightly. "Is it nap time?"

Noct seems to be thinking about it, but then he shifts and regrettably gets up off Prompto, standing and stretching with a low grunt. Prompto instantly misses the warmth but he brushes it off as he follows Noct's lead and sits back up.

"Nah, I'm hungry."

"Snack time, it is, then," Prompto amends, smiling in amusement.

He stays on the sofa and waits while Noct makes his way over to the kitchen in search of food for them, watching curiously while Noct shuffles through a few cupboards until his brow furrows when he comes up empty handed. "I could have sworn I had some snacks stashed away around here…" He mumbles, frowning and staring longingly at one of the shelves as if he'll be able to materialize the missing junk food with his gaze alone.

Prompto tries not to laugh as he leans on the armrest of the sofa. "You don't think Iggy would have hidden them, do you?" He asks, half joking.

Noct opens his mouth as if to deny the accusation but then he closes it again, purses his lips and crosses his arms over his chest. He's really thinking about it. Prompto maybe snickers this time. "You know what, you might be onto something there," Noct admits.

Prompto watches as Noct moves over to the table in the dining room and fetches one of the chairs, returning to the kitchen counter seconds layer and setting it down before clambering onto it. He looks through a few of the higher shelves in the cupboards with no success and then has to move the chair in order to check the other cupboards. Prompto is just starting to wonder if he should offer to go out and buy them more snacks instead when at last, Noct lets out a noise of some kind, perhaps recognition, as he checks the highest shelf in the final cupboard. "Found 'em," he says, his tone pleased as he stands on his tiptoes and reaches farther back onto the shelf.

Prompto belatedly notices as he watches that Noct is teetering dangerously close to the edge of the chair, toes barely remaining on the surface beneath him, and his breath seems to catch in his throat, his mind going a little fuzzy like it's full of static. Noct reemerges from the cupboard with several bags of snacks in hand, while Prompto's mind screams at him to speak, the urge bouncing around in his head as if his skull is empty as he watches Noct's foot slip nearer and nearer to the edge.

"Hey, Noct, look out-" he begins to say. But it's too late and Noct is already falling.

Prompto has no idea how it happens, because he's not even thinking, everything around him melting into a blur as if he's on a fast moving train and the rest of the world is speeding on by. One second he's still in the living room, his heart jumping into his throat as Noct falls off the chair, inadvertently knocking several plates off the cupboard shelf as he goes down. And then the next, Prompto is in the kitchen. He has Noct steady in his arms, Noct's own arms wrapped around his shoulders, and the descending plates are already on the counter, apparently because he had caught them and placed them down without realizing it. Noct is frozen, his eyes wide, holding his breath as he gazes at Prompto and Prompto blinks back at him.

It's so strange, Prompto thinks.

His heart's still pounding, hammering wildly in his chest but there's also a rush of adrenaline that he hadn't noticed at first, that's pumping through his veins as he holds Noct close. He wants to say something, to explain himself because he sees the question mirrored in Noct's eyes, curious and inquiring, but he can't seem to find the words, doesn't even know what exactly just took place himself. "Be careful," is all he gets out. His voice shakes slightly.

Noct opens his mouth and closes it. His brow furrows the slightest bit and he purses his lips, and then he sighs. Prompto feels breathless. "Yeah," Noct replies quietly. "I will."

They stay still for several more moments while Prompto's body settles, while his heart returns to a normal pace and he picks apart his jumbled mind, tries to organize his thoughts and move past the unanswered questions that cling to his skin like cobwebs. There's something here, he reasons. He feels it hovering just under the surface, waiting to break free but unable to, held back by an unknown force, by something heavy and real, that Prompto can't even begin to fathom yet. He wonders when it will make itself known.

Slowly, Noct pries himself out of Prompto's arms and retrieves his snacks before he gestures toward the living room. "C'mon, Prom. I've got a new game I wanna show you." He's smiling again, soft and warm, encouraging, and the spell is broken. Prompto shifts, his bones creaking as if he has been unmoving for hours and the not mere minutes he and Noct had been in the kitchen.

"Sounds good, buddy," he replies, returning the smile as he scratches sheepishly at the back of his neck.

He follows Noct back out to the sofa, and they sit down together after Noct switches out the game in his console. Noct leans comfortably into Prompto's lap while he plays and Prompto teases him and laughs when Noct messes up simple game mechanics, and misses important information because he skips through the dialogue. And this is good, Prompto thinks. Everything is fine again. The rest of the night passes by without incident.

But somehow, Prompto finds that he only feels comfortable when he's right at Noct's side, so that's where he stays.


	3. And then it's a flame

"Prompto," Noct says.

There's something in his voice, something significant that dances music notes down Prompto's spine, that pulls Prompto's eyes up from where he had been staring at his phone, at the round of King's Knight that now goes ignored as he meets Noct's gaze and they blink at each other.

"Yeah?" Prompto responds. He feels winded, like he had just come back from an extra long morning jog, except he hadn't and he shouldn't be. He tries to read Noct's expression, but he can't quite parse it, can't even begin to make out what's buried beneath the dark blue of his pupils. There's something he wants to say, Prompto can tell that much, but it's lodged somewhere between his throat and his tongue, uncertainty and doubt drowning out the words he can't seem to find. His eyes cloud over and he pushes it down further.

"Nevermind," he grumbles. Prompto can't tell if he really means it.

But he leaves it at that, as he bumps his shoulder to Noct's and they return to their phones.

 

\---

 

Noct hums softly.

It's lunch break and they're on the hill behind the school, their meals already finished, notebooks beside them going untouched while Noct naps and Prompto forgoes studying. Noct is resting his head in Prompto's lap, eyes closed as Prompto brushes fingers lightly through his hair, as he gazes down at the radiant sight of Noct's features, smooth, flawless skin, eyelashes fluttering, chest rising and falling with each inhale, each exhale.

Prompto may have snapped a photo or two on his phone earlier, as warmth settled in his cheeks and crept down his neck.

"Do you know what you're going to do after we graduate?" Noct asks quietly.

Prompto doesn't think it's really what he wanted to ask. There's a sudden crinkle in his brow, a twitch in his lips, his eyes cracking open and he blinks once, twice, three times, unfocused as gazes up at the sky. Maybe it was as close as he could get.

"I haven't really thought about it," Prompto replies. He presses a fingertip to the middle of Noct's forehead, rubbing gently until the crease is gone and Noct somewhat relaxes again, his shoulders leaning against Prompto's legs, one hand coming up to lay on Prompto's knee. There's something on the tip of his tongue, something more. An admission that Prompto _has_ thought about it, has thought about it more than once, in fact, and has already come to a steady conclusion. That no matter what he does, he hopes that he can always remain at Noct's side.

But the flush that burns the tips of his ears, the stutter of his heart in his chest that seems to ignite just under his rib cage keeps the words from leaving his mouth.

Noct sighs. He reaches up with his other hand, grasping as if he can hold the sky in between his fingers, blue dyeing his palm. "That's cool," he says after a pause. "You've got time to figure it out."

That also isn't what Noct wants to say. But Prompto won't ask.

 

\---

 

Noct is sitting at the table, staring down at papers that are sprawled across the surface, political documents that Ignis had handed him upon his arrival and insisted he read over that night. Noct had surprisingly agreed with little resistance, and now he's doing his best to focus, while Prompto sits quietly beside him and Ignis prepares coffee in the kitchen.

His hair is getting longer again, Prompto notes, his bangs hanging down just over his eyes and framing his face, dark strands contrasting pale skin in an almost ethereal way, and his lips are parted just slightly, his tongue occasionally dipping out to wet them, enticing and captivating. Prompto's head is fuzzy as he holds his camera up and snaps another photo, the angle just right, capturing the beautiful intensity of Noct's pupils as he attempts to decipher the notes in front of him.

The click of the camera has Noct smiling, a small, amused smile that dances at the corners of his lips even if he doesn't look up. Prompto catches that too, his finger subconsciously pressing the button down before he can even think about it.

"You would think I'm the most interesting subject in the world with how many pictures you're taking," Noct says, voice teasing, as if he expects Prompto to deny the accusation and respond with playful banter of his own.

"Maybe you are," is what Prompto says instead. He doesn't miss the rosy red tinge that colors Noct's cheeks afterward, or the way Noct shakes his head, smile growing wider, warm affection so evident in his expression that it plants itself in Prompto's chest like tree roots. Prompto takes another picture and feels like his heart is migrating into his throat.

Ignis joins them after a few more minutes, setting down two mugs on the table and then taking the seat next to Noct.

He glances first at Prompto- Prompto catches something unreadable in his eyes, that makes his chest tighten in an indescribable way and his breath catches before it makes it to his lungs- and then back to Noct. Noct does look up this time, meeting Ignis' gaze before he abruptly averts his eyes back down. Prompto feels like he's missing something, like a wordless conversation just took place but Prompto doesn't have the kind of context that would fill in the blanks, and he doesn't know if it's his place to question it.

"Just ask him, Noct," Ignis says.

Noct stiffens, all traces of his smile gone in an instant. Prompto wishes he could bring it back, wishes he could make sure that Noct was always smiling, would always have reason to. "I can't," Noct says quietly.

Prompto feels as if he wasn't meant to witness that exchange, and he pretends he can't hear them as he brings his camera back up and hides behind it.

Noct goes back to reading and Ignis doesn't say anything else. Prompto buries himself in photographs.

 

\---

 

Ignis shows up to take Noct to a meeting and Noct isn't ready, not even close.

He shoots up from where he had been lounging on the sofa with Prompto, cursing under his breath and leaving Prompto to slide unceremoniously over onto the adjacent cushion with the abrupt loss of support, and then he rushes off to his room to get dressed. Ignis is shaking his head, but there's a small, amused smile on his lips, like he somehow knew this would happen, as he seats himself at the table to wait for the prince to return. Prompto shifts back up, leans against the back of the sofa and tries to distract himself with his phone.

Noct is still gone after a few minutes. Prompto can't focus on King's Knight because his eyes keep drifting over to where Ignis sits quietly, because his mind keeps wandering.

"Prompto," Ignis says.

Prompto doesn't know how he knew that Ignis was going to address him, but he did and he replies immediately, head shooting up so that he meets Ignis' sharp, pointed gaze. "What's up, Iggy?"

Ignis seems to think over his words carefully before he speaks again and the pause crawls along Prompto's skin, leaves goosebumps in its wake. "You and Noct are quite close," he finally says, his hands coming up to rest under his chin. "I am witness to this fact on a constant basis. But I should like to confirm it for myself all the same."

Prompto swallows hard and doesn't look away, the beating of his heart in his chest so strong that he feels like it will burst out at any moment, or explode and shatter into a million pieces, whichever comes first. "Confirm what?" he asks. He's surprised that his voice doesn't shake.

"Your dedication to Noct," Ignis says, unblinking. "Am I to believe that you would do absolutely anything for him?"

Prompto doesn't have to consider his response to that. "No questions asked."

"You would risk your own life for his?"

"In a heartbeat," he says. He means it.

Ignis stares at him, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly, but then he nods and Prompto lets out the breath he hadn't even realized he was holding, his hands trembling as he clenches them into fists. "Just as I thought," Ignis says softly. "You know, Noct has been meaning to ask you something."

Again, there it is. It continues to go unsaid, but Prompto feels it heavy as it settles around his heart, as it burrows its way into his bloodstream and overruns his mind. "Yeah, I know," he whispers. He knows exactly what it is, and he knows what he needs to do, the sparks building, building, until there's a small flame. It flickers and dances in Prompto's chest, and Prompto grows with it.

"Then you should give him your answer," Ignis says.

Prompto knows he's right.

 

\---

 

"Let me join the Crownsguard," Prompto says.

Recognition flashes in Noct's eyes, as the words he had left unspoken for as long as possible are presented to him as easily as a simple greeting.

"I… I can't ask you to do that," Noct replies quietly. His voice is a mixture of different emotions, some more obvious than others. Relief, Prompto hears plain as day, that he hadn't had to say the phrase himself, that it's now out in the open and no longer stuck in the back of his throat with no way out. But something lingers under it, that darkens Noct's pupils and stops him from reaching out and taking Prompto's hand where it rests on the bed beside him. Guilt, maybe. Probably. Prompto wants to erase that worry from Noct's mind without hesitation.

"You're not asking," Prompto says, and he takes Noct's hand himself, lacing their fingers together and squeezing gently. Noct watches him, looks at their hands then back to Prompto's face, gaze searching. "I'm telling you what I want, and you're listening to me."

Noct slowly squeezes Prompto's hand back. "Do you really realize what you're saying?" And before Prompto can interrupt, he adds, "If you join the Crownsguard, you don't live your life for yourself anymore. You live it for me. And you… you would have to be ready to die for me."

Prompto has already thought about that. He's thought about it a lot, and his answer has never changed. "I know," he says, giving Noct a warm smile. "I know and I'm willing to do that. I'll do whatever it takes, for you."

"But…" Noct's brow furrows as he bites at his bottom lip. "Ignis, Gladio, they were born into this. They always knew this was what they would have to do. But you… You're… You could do anything. You don't…" He swallows and glances away, at the bed, at the wall, at anything else but Prompto. "You don't have to throw your life away for me."

Prompto doesn't know how to put it into words, isn't even sure he could explain himself if he tried, so he instead pulls Noct into his arms and holds him. He feels Noct's heartbeat through his chest, erratic and nervous, and it makes him cling tighter, so that Noct can feel his own heartbeat, the pulse pounding like a drum and cementing his resolve with unwavering conviction. After a moment of pause, Noct returns the embrace, his hands coming up to grip Prompto's sweater in his fists.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Prompto asks softly.

And Noct nods as he buries his face into the crook of Prompto's neck. "Please. Please stay." His voice shakes, even as it's muffled into Prompto's skin.

"I'm not going anywhere," Prompto says.

Somewhere deep in Prompto's chest, the flames burn brighter.

 

\---

 

Prompto has the dream again that night. But this time, the voice says something new, a familiar warmth permeating kind words that resonate right to Prompto's very core.

"He is in your care now."

Prompto finds himself smiling.


	4. Let the flames grow higher

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was my birthday yesterday and it was half-alright half-suck but at least I managed to finish this new chapter. Thanks for reading as always!

Prompto hits the ground hard and all the air is knocked from his lungs instantly.

He gasps and fumbles, brain sloshing about in his skull, but he manages to pull himself back up in a few seconds, sitting and catching his breath while Gladio waits patiently several feet away. The shield watches him with an amused expression that is underlain by something else, something that's masked by his gentle features. Prompto tries not to fixate on it until he eventually feels somewhat more human, each inhale actually making it through his chest, and he clumsily gets to his feet, gripping the wooden practice sword tighter in his hands. He can do this, he tells himself. If he just keeps trying, he can do this. Bracing himself, Prompto charges Gladio.

It's over in a flash again. Prompto doesn't even try to get up this time as he lays on the floor and stares up at the ceiling. He hears Gladio sigh and then the shield appears beside him, face popping into Prompto's view as he leans over him. "You alright, Blondie?" He asks, cracking a smile when Prompto meets his gaze. "Noct won't let me hear the end of it if I accidentally kill his best friend during training."

"I'm fine," Prompto gets out. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. He can hear how drained he sounds, the energy steadily sapping from his body the longer he lays on the ground, until his limbs feel like lead and he's not sure he could get up again if he tried. He has always known that he wasn't much of a fighter but it feels more pronounced in this moment, with Gladio towering over him after having kicked his ass a countless number of times over the last few hours. It's not that his stamina is.lacking- it would be more strange if it was, considering the hours and days and years spent jogging until his lungs burned, until he couldn't think straight and his legs were jelly- rather, Prompto just can't keep up with Gladio. Gladio, who has been doing this practically since birth, who trains Noct weekly and knows exactly what he's doing every second of every fight as if it's second nature, clearly is superior in every sense of the word when it comes to combat and Prompto can't dispute that, nor can he fault Gladio for it when he's been nothing but accommodating since he started working with Prompto.

It's really too bad, then, that Prompto just can't get the hang of this. It makes him feel like a burden, for wasting Gladio's time and moreover for failing at the thing he wants to do the most, when he was the one who insisted. He had expected a challenge to be sure, but he hadn't expected himself to fall so short, and there's something extremely disappointing in that knowledge.

"What're you thinking?" Gladio asks suddenly.

Prompto grasps for something other than his own thoughts to put into words as he blinks up at the ceiling. "I'm hungry," he finally replies. He doesn't really believe his own excuse so he thinks Gladio must be able to read it just as easily.

But Gladio just chuckles. "You  _ are _ making improvements, y'know. They're small but they're there, even if you can't see 'em." 

Prompto grimaces. "Sure doesn't feel that way."

Gladio sighs and falls quiet and Prompto wonders if he should just call it quits, unsure whether the palpable frustration buzzing in the air is his or Gladio's. He won't give up, though. 

He can't.

He thinks of Noct, of that small, heartwarming smile when he knew that Prompto was going to start training soon and the realization that Prompto would always be with him fully sunk in, and he thinks of what he really wants, of his dream and his destiny, and he knows that he needs to do this, regardless of how much he stumbles and falls. He'll make it through this, somehow.

"Hey, Gladio…" Prompto heaves a sigh of his own and reaches his hand up, clasping his fingers into a fist like he expects to be able to touch the ceiling above him. "You got any advice?"

"Well…" Gladio hums. He seems to think about his next words carefully, brow slightly furrowed, and Prompto at last forces himself up into a seated position, his head throbbing ever so slightly with the motion. "If it's hard to get the hang of just fightin'... why not think about it differently?" He suggests. He offers Prompto a hand and the both of them stand, resuming positions across from each other while Gladio retrieves his practice sword. "As Noct's shield, I try to think about what I would do if Noct was actually in danger."

"If Noct was in danger…?" Prompto repeats quietly. What would Prompto do, if Noct really was in danger, if Prompto needed to act immediately or else Noct could wind up seriously injured or worse? That thought alone sets off an anxious fluttering just under his ribcage, that steadily spreads outward, electricity tingling in his limbs, right to his fingertips. "What would I do…"

Gladio takes up a combative stance, sword gripped tight in his hands while he angles himself at Prompto. "If it helps, try to imagine I'm a daemon or a fierce beast and I'm threatening Noct, and come at me without hesitation. Give it your all, Prompto."

It's strange, but as soon as Prompto readies himself to take on Gladio again, as soon as the thought that Noct needs his protection takes root in his mind, he feels an intense warmth surge all throughout his body, an overwhelming wave of sparks that seems to erase all tiredness from his limbs, that renews all the energy he was so sure he had expended before, and fuels the fire in his chest with restored purpose. Prompto's head feels a little foggy, but he's so focused on the thought that Noct needs him that it doesn't distract him at all- in fact, Prompto feels hyper aware of everything around him. He picks out every sound, the squeeze of Gladio's fingers around the hilt of his sword, each inhale and exhale, even the rub of fabric as Gladio shifts on his feet, and he sees every movement, from the twitch of Gladio's shoulders to the shadow of the Marshall who's apparently watching from the doorway, and who Gladio hasn't noticed himself. Maybe Prompto would have been more anxious at his presence before this moment but he finds himself a bizarre mix of calm and entirely too stimulated as he puts everything else behind him and finally makes his move.

He charges Gladio before either of them has the time to blink. Gladio barely has the chance to react, a loud gasp wrenched from his lips as he thrusts up his sword just in time to block Prompto's swing, the impact nearly knocking the blade straight out of his hands. Prompto isn't about to let up, though. He immediately whirls around and flips midair in a show of acrobatics he hadn't even known he was capable of, unleashing a relentless flurry of swipes that have Gladio sliding backward across the floor as he attempts to guard against them. Gladio seems to be waiting for the moment to strike back but Prompto doesn't give it to him and he dances backward just as Gladio rushes forward and delivers a heavy swing at Prompto. The blade whistles through the air, just out of reach. Prompto flits back and then forward again, nimbly dodging the attack and then returns with his own counter strike, one that Gladio only manages to stop at the last second, sweat dripping down his face as he parries the blow and Prompto uses the momentum to jump back and reorganize his assault. He needs to find an opening, something he can use to his advantage.

Prompto at last finds his opportunity when Gladio lags in his swing, his sword still raised after he had attempted and failed to breach Prompto's defenses. He aims a deft slash upward at just the right angle, knocking the blade from Gladio's hands instantly, and then follows up by tackling Gladio with all his strength. Unable to shield himself from the overpowering force any longer, Gladio topples to the ground with a loud grunt.

Prompto feels breathless in the aftermath but he finds that he's, in fact, still breathing completely normally, each breath into his lungs as even as if he hadn't just exerted himself in a brawl. The indescribable sensation crawls along his skin like cobwebs while Gladio sits deadly silent on the floor, gazing with an unreadable expression up at Prompto.

And oh Gods, Prompto had just absolutely manhandled not just his friend but the very person who had so kindly agreed to train him despite his busy schedule. Panic quickly encroaches on his thoughts for the briefest of moments, that perhaps he had gone way too far and Gladio will be rightfully upset with him. After all, he probably doesn't usually have recently joined trainees knocking him flat on his ass every day and yeah, Prompto really should have thought things through before he let himself go all out.

But then, just as quickly as it had formed, the fear dissipates as Gladio bursts out laughing, the roaring sound echoing around the room with a relieving finality that seeps away all of Prompto's worries in a heartbeat.

"Now that's more like it," Gladio says warmly. Prompto finds himself grinning back, genuine and full of relief.

Alright, so maybe everything is fine.

"Impressive," comes the Marshall's sudden voice, and Gladio startles, eyes shooting from Prompto to the door.

"Marshall," he says in surprise, brows high on his forehead. "When did you get here?"

The Marshall doesn't answer, leaving Gladio to blink at him quietly, and instead meets Prompto's gaze, sending a jolt right through Prompto from his head to his toes. "Keep up the good work," he says, the smallest of smiles pulling at the corner of his lips, something Prompto has never before seen from the stoic man. The sight of it fills Prompto with a warm sense of pride, and he ducks his head bashfully while the Marshall takes his leave as abruptly as he had appeared.

Gladio watches him go and then looks back to Prompto with amusement shining in his eyes. "You just got praised by Cor the Immortal, kid. Think you can keep this up?"

Prompto doesn't hesitate before he responds. "I won't let you or him down," he says, and he not only means it, but he feels like he's actually capable of it now, like his conviction is embedding itself into his blood flow and pumping through his veins. The flames flicker and spread, strong and sure in Prompto's heart.  _ I won't let Noct down, _ he adds to himself.

He was meant for this. He was meant to protect Noct.


	5. A preliminary beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that I'm getting into actual game plot, I feel the need to mention that I will be using some in game dialogue as well as mixing in my own for obvious purposes. This chapter was meant to include 2 more scenes but it was already at 3k so I've decided to put those scenes into a separate chapter which I will probably be posting sometime in the next couple days.

"A treaty," Prompto says curiously.

Noct curls in closer to Prompto, arms wrapped around him while he rests his head on Prompto's chest. It's late at night, far later than either of them should still be awake, and they'll need to sleep soon, both of them know it, but it doesn't stop them from clinging to these quiet hours just to themselves. Noct is warm, soft, enveloping Prompto with a feeling of home, and Prompto just wants to stay like this, to hold him close. Sleep can wait.

"Yeah," Noct nods, fingers playing with the strap of Prompto's tank top lazily. He brushes the skin of Prompto's shoulder and Prompto hums, the warmth spreading outward from the spot of contact. "Niflheim put forth some demands and apparently my dad accepted. The signing is supposed to take place in upcoming weeks."

Prompto may not remember much from the history classes he and Noct shared in high school but he knows enough to realize this is a big deal- for Noct, for Insomnia, and for all of Eos as a whole. There's a hint of something in the back of his mind that he can't quite pinpoint, something that seems significant somehow, but he lets it go ignored as he smiles encouragingly. "That's good news, Noct."

"I just hope it all goes smoothly." Noct sighs, the sound a mix of worry and hope, but it's laced with a growing sleepiness that almost has Prompto chuckling in amusement. "My dad's already making plans for my trip. We'll head out of the crown city with the Regalia and make our way down to Galdin Quay, where we'll take a ferry over to Altissia," he explains.

"Sounds like fun," Prompto says. He rubs at Noct's shoulder blades with his palms. "You'll have to tell me all about it when you get back."

Noct shifts at that, pulling back just enough so that he can give Prompto a look. "What are you talking about? You're coming with me."

Prompto blinks at him, an overpowering fluttering filling up his chest as he meets Noct's indigo eyes, so earnest that Prompto suddenly can't remember if he had been joking or not.

It probably doesn't matter, in the end.

"Of course," he finally says, and Noct cuddles back up to him, his warmth now seeping right to Prompto's heart.

 

\---

 

They end up pushing the Regalia most of the way from Insomnia to Hammerhead, an exhausting task that leaves the four of them breathless and burned out, but Prompto can't help thinking it's still fun somehow. Even as the sweat drips down his back and he looks over and sees the dissatisfaction painted clear as day across Noct's face, even as he and Noct joke about letting Gladio push the car by himself and Gladio threatens to kill the both of them, Prompto finds himself heaving a wheeze of a laugh despite it all, beaming when he meets Noct's sparkling eyes and a small smile emerges, beneath the irritation and the overexertion, at the corners of his lips. That smile gives Prompto all the energy he needs to make it to the garage in one piece.

When they arrive, the car is immediately sweeped out from under them. 

"You just leave it to Paw-Paw," says the pretty blonde haired, blue eyed mechanic who smiles at them while she lets her grandpa lock their vehicle away in his garage. Prompto thinks he would be more upset about their situation, especially when he catches Ignis grimacing at the status of their funds after they've forked over the money for the repairs, but the mechanic smiles again, offers them a small amount of cash to help them out, and sets them on some errands while they wait for the Regalia to be ready, and Prompto is decidedly pacified, even if he's the only one.

"What a start to our trip, huh," Gladio says sarcastically as they make their way out into the field, the desert wind kicking up sand into their hair and eyes. "Hope it's not some kinda omen."

"We'll be fine," Ignis sighs. "I hope."

"I already miss the car," Noct whines. "Walking everywhere is a pain."

Yeah, this trip will be something special. Prompto is sure of it.

 

\---

 

Prompto isn't sure just what he had been expecting as they drive the distance to Galdin Quay, and yet every expectation that he could have possibly come up with prior to seeing it in person flies away on the wind when he catches sight of the actual open ocean shining in the distance, the vibrant blue dancing under the sun's rays. Absolutely stunning.

He can't help a low gasp as he immediately reaches for his camera. "Hey, I see the sea," he says excitedly, already snapping photos of the glittering water and the oceanic scenery, the long deck that leads out to the quay itself that appears picturesque among the waves as Ignis takes the car down the winding path toward the shoreline.

"I 'sea' it, too," Noct says playfully in response. Prompto looks up from his camera to find Noct grinning at him, sunlight sparkling in his eyes, almost like Prompto can see the foamy waves reflected in his pupils, and he maybe snaps a shot or two of Noct as he grins back, his cheeks coloring with a rosy warmth hidden behind the lens.

"Kinda wanna go for a dip," Gladio says wistfully. "Would be a shame to miss out…"

Ignis hums his agreement. "I insist we dine while we're here, as well. I've heard the seafood is famously delicious."

"Sounds great," Noct says. "I think we deserve a bit of a break before we leave."

Prompto is practically buzzing with enthusiasm by the time they pull into the parking space by the dock. After scrambling out of the car, he immediately makes a beeline right to the railing overlooking the water, sighing in awe while he retrieves his camera again.

"Seems like somebody is already enjoying himself," Noct teases as he joins Prompto, leaning on the railing and gazing out at the water. Prompto momentarily forgets the scene in front of him and loses himself in the blue of Noct's eyes, full of light-hearted mischief while he bumps his shoulder against Prompto's. "Do you really like the sea that much?"

"Yeah," Prompto says softly, even though it's clear he's not talking about the water anymore. He watches the waves in Noct's eyes again and snaps another picture, of Noct's profile against the vivid blue behind him. "I like it a lot." His tone is a little breathless and Noct just smiles again, so warm he rivals the sun.

"If the two of you would like to have a look around and take in the sights, now would be a good time." Ignis approaches shortly after, gestures toward the beach and then points back to the quay. "We can rendezvous at the restaurant in a few hours for dinner and then we'll prepare to board the ferry."

"Got it," Noct agrees with a nod. 

"Don't have too much fun now that you don't have to babysit us kids," Prompto jokes with a grin. Noct laughs at that, the sound bubbling and contagious when Ignis rolls his eyes. Prompto finds himself laughing along, his heart fluttering in his chest.

"Oh, we will," Gladio counters smugly, coming up to rest his hand on Ignis' shoulder. "Us adults will have so much fun that you  _ kids _ will be jealous."

"Oh?" Noct smirks. "You'll have fun doing what exactly?"

"Nevermind all this," Ignis shrugs off the question, his cheeks tinged pink as he brushes Gladio's hand off his shoulder and takes it in his own. "I would like to go have a look at the quay now. See you both in a few hours." With that, he marches off with Gladio in tow before Gladio has the chance to say anything else. Prompto watches them leave quietly, his eyebrow cocked while he holds back the urge to grin. He looks to Noct, Noct glances over and meets his gaze, expression a mirror of Prompto's own amusement, and then the two of them burst out laughing.

"C'mon, Prom," Noct says. He takes Prompto's hand and they make their way toward the beach. "Let's go have our own fun, yeah?"

Prompto automatically beams at him. "I'd like that."

They walk along the shore for a bit and Prompto takes probably way more photos than is necessary while Noct urges him on, pointing out ideal locations and good angles when he spots them. It makes Prompto feel like his heart will beat right out of his chest, warm and stuttering with the way Noct looks at him, the twinkling smile every time Prompto holds up his camera for a new shot, and even every time Prompto thinks he's sneaky enough to get a candid shot of Noct without his noticing, he probably knows, but he lets Prompto do it anyway. Noct leans down and collects a few pretty shells while they slowly pace through the sand, and Prompto's fingers itch, reacting before he can even think, and he snaps the pictures, of Noct's breathtaking smile as he holds his finds up to show Prompto, fingertips dipped in sand, palms cradling the shells. Yes, being on the beach is quite nice, Prompto thinks decidedly, cheeks rosy with warmth.

Further down, they discover a dock for fishing and a small shack where lures and lines are being sold, and Prompto has already given in before Noct turns to him with wide, sparkling eyes. Like a kid in toy shop, Gladio always says, and Prompto can't disagree, entirely unable to hold back an affectionate smile. "Can I?" Noct asks anyway, even knowing that Prompto would never, and could never, say no.

"Go for it," Prompto says with a laugh.

Noct browses the lures, choosing carefully after prolonged deliberation, and then he steps out onto the dock, his head held high. "I'm gonna reel in a monster," he says, voice ringing with confidence.

Prompto follows him and sits down on the boards by his feet. "Guess I'll play King's Knight in the meantime."

His tone is teasing, but he doesn't mean it, not really. He may not ever admit it out loud, but one of the things Prompto loves most of all is watching Noct fish. There's something about how serious he gets, his determination and the excitement he can barely contain as he casts the line out, as he lands a fish, as he expertly reels it in. He's a true sight to behold, and Prompto can't help but let himself stare, enraptured by every crease in Noct's brow, every twitch of his lips, every little flick of his wrists. He's completely in his element when he's fishing so Prompto is content to sit here for as long as it takes while Noct delightedly fishes up a storm.

When Noct reels in a particularly large trevally, Prompto gives him a thumbs up and laughs as Noct almost drops the fish back into the water in his haste to show off. "Nice work, dude," he says around giggles. Noct just beams back at him, all teeth and eyes shrinking into crescents, and Prompto thinks he wouldn't mind staying here forever.

After what feels like a lifetime, Noct finally seems satisfied with his haul and the two of them make their way back toward Galdin Quay itself. They stumble across Ignis and Gladio on their way, who had ended up seated at one of the small tables on the beach right in front of the shore next to the entrance. Prompto would have walked right past if Gladio hadn't called out to them, a loud shout and a wave easily catching his attention, and it turns out they had been simply enjoying a couple drinks and a good view after their initial survey of the area, which seems somehow fitting in Prompto's mind. A quiet passing of time in comparison to the chatter and shenanigans shared between himself and Noct.

"You call this fun?" Noct teases.

"You'll understand when you're older," Ignis counters.

"Will we though?" Prompto jokes.

Gladio snorts. "Probably not."

The deck that leads out to the quay is exceedingly long Prompto notes with each step on the polished wood, though he doesn't mind it, or the long walk that results from its existence. The scenic view leading up to the building is incredible, the structure wholly engulfed by the surrounding blue and even further in the distance, Prompto can see the looming silhouette of Angelgard island, contrasting sharply against the warm hues of the sky. Beautiful, he thinks as he walks next to Noct and their shoulders bump.

Once inside, the group is seated at one of the dining tables and they order a meal of risotto and steamed crab that tastes better than any seafood has the right to taste. Prompto savors every bite and he's pleased to see that even Noct seems to like the food, despite his usual picky palate. They chat comfortably for a while after they've finished eating but eventually get up to make their way toward the back of the quay so they can figure out their ferry situation.

The mood has been light and pleasant all throughout the day and into the evening, and yet, as they head toward the stairs that lead down to the port, Prompto feels something shift in the air, something heavy that seems to prickle along his skin and set him on edge, despite the oblivious casual chatter between Noct, Ignis, and Gladio. Prompto at first wants to write it off, but a few more steps and he knows for certain it's not nothing, no matter how much he wishes it were.

The feeling culminates into the form of a man who blocks the stairway. Even with his back to the group, Prompto immediately senses that something about him is wrong, something he can barely even begin to comprehend as his heart twists uncomfortably in his chest. Prompto stops walking, as do the others when they notice the obstacle in their way.

The man then turns around to face them and Prompto reacts on impulse, the flames in his heart sparking to life and leading him to instinctually move in front of Noct before he has even spoken. He doesn't know what spurs him into action but he lets it, lets the thought that even without a reason why, Noct needs to be protected in this moment steady him and give him the strength to glare at the stranger. Beady, black eyes meet Prompto's, and a crooked, ill fitting smile dances on shallow features. He's overdressed, awkward and strange, and he stands out starkly among the common folk in Galdin Quay. Prompto doesn't like him one bit.

"I'm afraid you're out of luck," the man says, in a tone of voice that is entirely too pleasant, sickly saccharine. It fills Prompto with the urge to shudder, but he somehow manages to resist, keeping himself still.

"Are we?" Noct sounds guarded when he responds and Prompto glances between his friends to find they're all just as suspicious of this man as Prompto feels, and there's at least some comfort in that. He shifts closer to Noct, the feeling in his chest growing stronger.

The man paces forward a little and gestures behind himself, toward the open water. "The boats bring you here, but they'll not take you forth."

"What? Are the ferries not running?" Ignis says quietly, more to himself than to anyone else.

"And what's your story?" Gladio addresses the man tersely.

The man's eyes sparkle with a sinister light. "I'm an impatient traveler, ready to turn ship," he says simply, and then he adds after a short pause, even more vaguely, "This ceasefire is getting us nowhere." His words are ambiguous, unsettling, lacking any meaning for the four of them to attribute to the man who stands before them. Prompto finds himself growing increasingly more and more unnerved with each passing second.

"Just who are you?" He questions, keeping his tone even, despite the way his hands shake as he clenches them into fists at his sides. He feels Noct approach him from behind seconds later, a hand snaking down to his waist in a comforting notion that Prompto appreciates more than he can say.

"A man of no consequence," comes the impish response. The stranger gives them a flourish of a bow and then strides past them to take his leave. However, as he passes Prompto, he pauses again and meets Prompto's gaze head on. There seems to be a challenge in his dark pupils, a thinly veiled threat and a provocation of some kind, as if he sees through to what Prompto hopes to do, even past the point to which Prompto has been able to visualize it, and he doesn't think Prompto is capable. But Prompto doesn't- would never- back down, gathers all the courage he can muster and stares back fiercely, his own challenge building like a wildfire under his ribcage. He feels Noct's grip on his waist tighten, and the man smirks.

And then the man is gone, disappearing into the crowd in an instant.

"Yeah, right…" Noct mutters darkly, staring after him for several moments. He then shifts Prompto around to face him and meets his gaze, searching, concern evident in the crease of his brow and the way he purses his lips. "Are you alright, Prom? That weirdo really seemed to get to you."

"Yes, quite," Ignis agrees. "Do you know him somehow?"

Prompto shakes himself and offers Noct and Ignis a small smile. Now that the man is gone, he finally feels the edge subsiding, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal while the air grows lighter again, easier to breathe."I don't know," Prompto replies sheepishly. "but I get the very strong feeling we can't trust him."

"Got the same feeling, kid," Gladio says, placing one hand on Noct's shoulder and the other on Prompto's reassuringly. Prompto appreciates the gesture. "Whoever he is, he's bad news."

"Do you believe what he said about the port being closed?" Noct asks, frowning.

"I'm skeptical, but we should check ourselves to be completely certain," Ignis muses. He takes the lead and gestures for the others to follow him.

They all nod in agreement, and then the four of them make their way down the stairs.


	6. You break and you cry (but you carry on)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday Noctis!!!!! Sorry for leaving it off on such a downer on such a special day but what can I do about that lol,,, We're getting to the good stuff soon though, just hang tight. :)  
> (And hey I posted some bday art for Noctis on [my twitter](https://twitter.com/noctlis/status/1034828164466454529) so at least I can make up for the sad a little.)

With the ferries out of service just as the suspicious stranger had foretold, the group is left with no choice but to wait and they stay at the inn in Galdin Quay that night.

Prompto falls asleep with Noct in his arms and dreams.

The setting is all too familiar: pure white enveloping him, suffocating but calming while he waits for the voice to reach him. And it does, after the steady passing of time, after Prompto's head fills with the familiar fog he's grown used to after all these years. The low rumble permeates the very air around him and hums in his bones, vibrating in the spaces between his ribs. He waits for the same words he has heard over and over again and lets his eyes slip closed.

"The time has come," she says.

Prompto's eyes immediately shoot open again. He sees nothing new, nothing that stands out against the blinding white that remains unchanged, but the feeling around him begins to shift, almost so that Prompto can sense that he's no longer alone. A presence, not wholly there but existing all the same, pervading every inch, every ounce of space surrounding him. This is new. New as well, the words themselves echo in his ears, repetition burrowing into the corners of his mind.

"The time for what?" he asks, finding his own voice for the first time since the dreams first appeared to him.

"Are you ready, Prompto? For the fate of your king, you must not hesitate."

She doesn't answer his question in the slightest, and yet Prompto feels as if he knows what she means, even without knowing what she's talking about. "I am ready," he replies quietly, his conviction bubbling up from his chest, into his mouth and making its way into his words as they leave his tongue.

Her response isn't vocal. Instead, something flashes brightly under Prompto's eyelids, something he doesn't recognize. Scenes that lack the required context for him to understand, so brief and fleeting he almost misses them before they're gone. He sees his friends, people he doesn't know, places he has never been before and events that haven't happened. But the last image burns itself there momentarily, hovering as Prompto blinks, once, twice, and feels his breath catch, his throat tightening, hands trembling. The throne, the glistening swords, and Noct, so still. "That…" The image dissipates until nothing's left but white, but he remembers what he saw. He can't stop his voice from shaking when he speaks. "Noct… he's going to die?"

"The king's fate is not in his hands," she tells him. "A prophecy ties him to the fault of others, to a life they believe he has no choice but to live. A life that was not but their own to dictate, for they never saw the king for what he is, nor what he is meant to be. But the king would choose life, and the will of the world would choose the king." She pauses, a warmth finding its way into the white around Prompto, clinging to him and keeping him grounded as it erases the remnants of the image from his mind. He lets the anxiety flood out of his body and replaces it with determination, the fire in his heart flickering back to life. "Bur fate can be overturned. And you, my dear Prompto… You are the one who can save him. You are the one who _must_ save him."

"I will," Prompto says, and he means it, more than he's ever meant anything, with every fiber of his being. The urge to protect Noct, to keep him safe and prevent such a cruel fate from befalling him, to stay by his side and make sure that nothing ever harms him… the feeling has never been stronger than it is in this moment and it consumes him. But Prompto lets it because he's not afraid this time. He won't falter, no matter what comes his way.

"The king is very fortunate," the voice says, full of warmth again, a fondness that makes Prompto feel completely at peace. "to have you for his guardian angel, Dear Prompto." Prompto thinks that if he could see her, she would be smiling at him, and he can't help but smile back.

The dream begins to fade slowly from white to black as Prompto's consciousness drifts toward sleep, but Prompto's resolve remains, flames that can't- that won't- be extinguished.

 

\---

 

The following morning is quiet.

Prompto wakes to find Gladio is already seated by the window, a cup of coffee on the table in front of him as he gazes out at the water. Ignis is absent, but Prompto assumes he'll be back soon, probably with news regarding the ferries. He sits up and stretches, and he almost immediately feels that the air around him is different: charged, heavy, full of anticipation. He's not sure what it is, or if it means anything, but he has the strong sense that something is going to happen today and that thought clings no matter how much Prompto tries to ignore it.

He doesn't get up right away, instead choosing to gaze down at Noct's sleeping form beside him for a while. Noct looks so peaceful in sleep, so… normal. As if he were just another person living a normal life- not royalty, not destined for something greater- as if the fate of the world doesn't rest on his shoulders. Prompto wonders how quickly that will change. He reaches down subconsciously to brush his fingers gently through Noct's hair and the motion causes Noct to let out a contented sigh as he leans into Prompto's touch, though he doesn't wake. Prompto can't help a small smile. And then he rises, joining Gladio by the window.

Ignis still hasn't returned by the time Noct finally gets out of bed, hiding a wide yawn behind the back of his hand. He still looks tired but Prompto knows it usually takes him at least half an hour to fully wake up so he'll probably be half asleep until after he's had a proper breakfast. He grins when Noct meets his gaze with sleepy but affectionate eyes. "Morning," he greets warmly.

Noct grunts in response and saunters over to Prompto, doesn't hesitate before he slumps against Prompto's shoulder. His voice is slurred when he speaks. "Where's Specs?"

"Should be back any minute now," Gladio tells him.

As if on cue, the door opens and Ignis strides in.

And instantly, Prompto finds himself wishing he hadn't. Not because of Ignis himself, no. Rather, it's what Ignis brings with him that makes Prompto realize his gut feeling had been correct after all. The atmosphere takes a nosedive from off putting into downright distressing, nerves creeping along Prompto's back and sending shivers down his spine. Even Noct seems to sense it because he shifts off Prompto and all traces of sleep leave him at once. Prompto's throat feels thick as he attempts to swallow, glancing between Ignis and Noct anxiously.

Gladio stands and approaches Ignis instinctively, but Ignis is looking at Noct instead, with something unreadable yet almost palpable in his eyes. Sympathy? Guilt? Prompto isn't sure but Noct frowns all the same, discomfort clear across his face as the room begins to grow increasingly stifling.

"What's that look for?" Noct asks.

Ignis doesn't respond right away, pursing his lips as if he's unsure where to even begin.

"Did… something happen?" Prompto ventures his guess, even though he already knows the answer.

It's then that Gladio notices the paper in Ignis' hands. He closes the rest of the distance between them in a few quick steps, and Ignis relents the article easily to his partner's urgent hands. "... It's in all the papers," he says at last.

"What is?" Noct says, this time louder. There's a note of panic there, that catches Prompto off guard and he reaches out preemptively, taking Noct's hand in his own and squeezing. His heartbeat roars in his ears and he feels like he can't breathe.

"'Insomnia… falls'..?" Gladio reads out.

Like the dropping of a bomb, the floor seems to shake beneath their feet, the very foundation of their group stripped away in an instant.

Noct's gasp echoes around the painfully quiet room like a gunshot, shock, disbelief morphing his features into a scowl. "Is this your idea of a joke?" Prompto feels him trembling, his hand shaking as his nails dig into Prompto's palm, his grip growing tighter, tighter. Prompto doesn't stop him.

"I need you to calm down so I can explain," Ignis says quietly.

Noct's voice rises in contrast, more panic, more disbelief. "I'm as calm as I'm gonna get!" Prompto wishes this were just a bad dream, except none of them are asleep anymore.

Ignis is doing his best to keep a straight face, but he betray his emotions when he speaks again, his voice wavering. "There was an attack," he says. "The imperial army has taken the Crown City."

"'As treaty room tempers flared, blasts lit the night sky. When the smoke about the Citadel had cleared, the king was found… dead.'" Gladio reads the line and each word feels like a kick to gut, until the last word resounds and seems to bowl them all over. Prompto can almost see it in the back of his mind, Regis fighting with all of his might, against the very forces that had set him up to take the fall in the first place, but it isn't enough- it never could be. He was doomed from the start, to fall at the hands of the enemy.

"Noct," Prompto says urgently. He retracts his hand and reaches up with both hands to cup Noct's face, thumbs stroking his cheeks as comfortingly as he can manage. Noct is hyperventilating, not breathing properly, his chest rising and falling so shallowly that Prompto notices almost immediately and kicks into action. He knows that Noct forgets to breathe when he's panicked, and that's why he needs to keep Noct grounded, even when all of them are so close to breaking. "Please, stay with me, buddy."

Noct reacts to his words slowly, staring into Prompto's eyes as he forces himself to breathe more deeply, more evenly, even if it's only the slightest bit. But the panic, the despair is still present, glittering in the depth of his pupils and it cuts into Prompto's heart like glass. There isn't anything he can do for Noct now; there's nothing any of them can do.

"We had no way of knowing," Ignis mutters.

"What?" Noct spits back. It's the closest to tears Prompto has ever seen him. "Of knowing what?"

Ignis almost flinches, Prompto watches him shrink back minutely, as he gazes at Noct and shakes his head. "That any of this was going to occur. That the signing was last night, or that Insomnia-"

"So then why the hell are we even here? What about the wedding? Altissia? What the hell was any of that pretext about if it was just gonna amount to this?" He crumples finally, collapsing onto Prompto so quickly that Prompto almost stumbles under his weight, and he has to drop his arms equally as quickly so he can catch Noct before he falls to the ground. He can feel Noct shaking like a leaf, as if he's about to burst apart at the seams, and Prompto holds him closer, tries with all of his might to keep him together.

Ignis sighs, the sound more exhausted than exasperated. "I know that was the plan, Noct, but the reports of the invasion are all the same. How could every headline in the kingdom be wrong?"

"Lies…" Noct mumbles. "It's all lies…" He buries his face into Prompto's shoulder, clings so tightly that Prompto feels the air being squeezed from his lungs. But he doesn't stop Noct, doesn't try to loosen his grip.

"If only," he whispers.

The room falls silent for a few minutes. Prompto tries and fails, tries again and still fails to think of something, anything he can say to comfort Noct, his head full of cotton and static. So he says nothing, just rubs his hands in circles against Noct's back and nuzzles his cheek to the top of Noct's head. He hopes he can get his feelings across all the same.

Eventually, Gladio breaks the quiet with the question that is probably weighing the most on all of them. "What do we do now?"

"I.. don't know," Ignis breathes out. In this moment, he sounds so much older than he is and Gladio approaches him worriedly, slowly leading him to sit in one of the chairs by the window. Ignis lets him without any resistance, nearly plummeting right into if it weren't for Gladio's support. "We haven't seen the damage for ourselves and there are so many variables, so many things we can't be sure of, -"

"Iggy, slow down," Gladio murmurs, and Ignis falls quiet again.

Prompto takes a deep breath, ignores the sinking feeling in his stomach and tries to hold onto the warmth of Noct in his arms, the strength of the bonds between their close knit group of four fools who had never foreseen tragedy along the lines of their seemingly simple journey. They have to make it through this, even when all seems lost. "We go back to Insomnia," he says, soft yet determined.

Ignis and Gladio turn to look at him and Noct seems to freeze, holding his breath.

Ignis blinks at him, expression unreadable. "It might not be safe for us there," he says after a small pause.

"It might not be safe for us anywhere," Prompto counters. He wants this- less for himself, more for Noct. The closure, that what they had believed, that the basis for everything leading up to now had been built on false pretenses… Noct deserves that much, at least.

"So we turn back…?" Gladio says.

The quiet lingers for a few seconds longer. The air is oppressive and tense, full of anticipation, with fears and worries unspoken, and emotions running high while they all desperately try to cope. And then Noct lets out a deep breath, warm against Prompto's skin, his decision already made. "Yeah," he says. "We turn back."

As rain begins to fall outside, the clouds opening up to release a downpour from the heavens, and the drops tap against the window in a steady, rhythmless beat, Prompto thinks of his dream and wonders if the wheels of fate have started turning, if things have been set into motion. He holds Noct close and prays they'll find the answers to all their questions soon.

But the one thing he knows for certain is that this is only the beginning.


	7. So much more than what we bargained for

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, this chapter ended up much longer than I thought it would be so it took me a while to write. Also, I've been feeling Bad(tm) about my writing so there's that lol... Anyway, I'll do my best to make sure the next chapter won't take as long to post. Thanks for sticking with me.

They stand on the hill just outside Insomnia, the rain unrelenting as they look in on the captive city, at the place that was once their home and yet has now been stripped of that title in the blink of an eye, before any of them could have ever seen it coming. Smoke rises in the distance and imperial airships fly over them, the low hum buzzing around them, breaking the somber silence and confirming the truth for what it really is, the reality that they had prayed they would not find upon their return. There's no escaping it now: the crown city has fallen and there is no way in.

The news broadcasted over Gladio's phone tells them that Noct and Lunafreya are dead as well, and when Noct finally reaches the marshal, he hears from Cor's own lips that the king is dead. A truth that seems to capture Noct and hold him in place, no words leaving his mouth as the call ends and his arm drops limply to his side. 

Prompto sees the lost look in Noct's eyes as he gazes at what's left of the city, what's left of every semblance of the life they've known up to this point, the broken pieces that can't be put back together reflecting in his pupils. The way he shakes, hands trembling, the temptation to give in and believe that he truly had died along with his father. Prompto doesn't hesitate as he takes Noct's hand in his own, gentle but firm, as he reminds him that he's still here, even when it feels like the end. He's still alive and this isn't over. 

Noct squeezes back.

 

\---

 

From Insomnia to Hammerhead, and then from Hammerhead to the Prairie Outpost; they travel to the northwest, where the marshal waits for them in the Tomb of the Wise. He shows no hesitation, spares no sympathy in conveying to Noct the truth of his father's actions, his duty as king and the path that lies before him, even when Noct falters, when his voice cracks and he almost crumbles under the weight it all. Anger, despair, hopelessness all mix together into a swirling mass of emotions that Prompto wishes more than anything he could take in for himself, so that Noct wouldn't have to suffer anymore. All he can do is stand nearby and pray that Noct won't break.

"Your father had faith in you," the marshal tells him. "that when the time came, you would ascend for the sake of your people."

Noct is quiet in the moments following, so quiet he almost appears not to have heard the statement, gaze unblinking upon the sword that sits on the statue in front of him. But then he sighs, the sound so heavy it seems to sink into the air around them and hold all of them in place, immobile while Noct alone steps forward. "Guess he left me no choice," he mutters.

He reaches his hand out and instantly, the sword rises and shimmers, glowing a vibrant blue that radiates in the darkness of the tomb. it floats up higher, higher, and then it dips quickly, shooting forward to burst into Noct's chest. Prompto watches as the blue glow lights up Noct's chest now, as Noct rests his hand over his heart and lets out a shaky breath.

And Prompto can barely find the words to describe how he feels. "The power of kings, passed from the old to the new through the bonding of souls," the marshal had said. "To claim your forebears' power is your birthright and duty as king."

As far as anyone is concerned, as far as any of them know, this is something Noct must do, that only he can do. The power of his predecessors resides in the royal arms, a power that Noct alone has access to, that's passed down through his family line and now belongs to him as ruler in the aftermath of his father's untimely death. And yet, Prompto can't fight the sensation that claws its way deeper into his insides, that burrows into the cracks in his bones and permeates his bloodstream as he witnesses Noct claim the sword. 

That this is wrong somehow.

He sees somewhere in the back of his mind the image of Noct on the throne, still and unmoving, blade after blade piercing his chest, and his stomach twists uncomfortably. It's all wrong. He doesn't know how or why, but he can't rid himself of the feeling no matter how hard he tries.

"The power of the kings goes with you, Your Majesty," the marshal says. And Prompto wonders vaguely if that truly is a good thing.

 

\---

 

"From here we will split into two groups. Prince Noctis, please join the marshal up ahead."

Prompto has to fight his instincts, the way his body instantly attempts to pull him into following Noct, even as he holds himself in place, as he watches Noct slip in ahead of them while Monica turns to face the remaining trio and begins to lead them back the way they came. It's hard, because every bone in his body is urging him to go after Noct but he does his best not to give in, tries to push the feeling further down as he falls into step beside Ignis. "The rest of you will assist me in the diversionary effort," Monica tells them. 

It makes sense, Prompto convinces himself. Noct and the marshal definitely have enough strength between the two of them to infiltrate the base, so of course he'll help the others in making sure this operation goes down without a hitch. They do need a distraction, after all. "We need to keep the empire's attention on us," Monica explains as they head toward the road in the direction of the base's entrance.

"So that Noct and the marshal can take care of things inside with as little trouble as possible, correct?" Ignis finishes, and Monica gives him an affirmative nod. From where the group stands halfway between the road and the cover of the nearby shrubbery, Prompto can see rows of MTs stationed outside the gate, the soldiers stock still yet clearly highly alert as they stand guard in order to assure the construction of the base. The sight of them unnerves Prompto- it does every time- but he steels himself all the same.

"I hope you're all prepared for this," Monica says. "We will most likely have to fight nonstop until the prince and the marshal have secured the base."

"Never been more ready to kick imperial ass," Gladio assures her, grinning as he brings out his broadsword in a flash and swings it over his shoulder. "This'll be a breeze."

"Yeah, let's do this," Prompto agrees. His gun materializes seconds later in the palm of his hand, and Prompto shakes himself, hoping to rid his mind of any lingering worries before they head into the battlefield. It will be okay, of course it will. Noct will be fine and Prompto will be back by his side in no time, he just has to keep reminding himself of that. Most importantly, he needs to focus.

Monica counts down and then the four of them charge in.

It's fine at first, as Prompto fires, dodges, and fires again, and takes out a couple MTs in mere minutes, following up with a collaborative strike with Gladio that successfully downs several more in one blow. The first wave goes down with little problems, and as expected, a ship floats down very soon after that drops off a new wave.

And that's where Prompto's focus begins to waver. Not that he could argue it was all that steady to begin with, because Prompto is more than just a little incapable of staying in control of his emotions, but there's something building in his chest, spreading outward in between his ribs and trickling along his skin like goosebumps with each passing second. Not exactly an intense feeling, or something that's entirely too worrisome, but it's something powerful all the same, that becomes harder and harder to ignore as he keeps fighting. Prompto maneuvers himself into an advantageous position and unleashes a barrage of bullets that tackles down a group of three MTs, leaping forward right after to take out the last in the line with a calculated blow from the circular saw that he pulls from the armiger at the last moment. He just needs to keep this up, right? He just needs to keep fighting.

Yet at that point, Prompto finds he can't ignore it anymore, the skip of his heartbeat, the flames licking up around his heart ringing warning sirens in his head. If he hones in on that feeling, the tingling sensation that hums throughout his limbs, Prompto thinks he might just know what it is, and exactly what he needs to do about it.

No matter how vague or intangible the notion, he knows that Noct is somehow in danger and he can't stand around and do nothing for even a moment longer.

Prompto sends a precursory glance around the area: Gladio and Ignis are a fearsome duo, teaming up to relentlessly destroy any MTs in their way, and Monica is certainly holding her own, unfazed by the amount of soldiers they still have to take down as she swiftly deals with them one by one. Seeing his teammates handling themselves with relative ease, Prompto is satisfied and he jams his eyes shut, hand clenched tightly over his chest as he draws on the growing feeling, taps into it and lets it guide him. "Take me to him," he whispers.

The sensation that follows is similar to riding a roller coaster, when the car dips at the drop and plunges down the track at breakneck speed. It's dizzyingly nauseating for all of a single second, as it overwhelms him and white light floods under his eyelids, blinding and bewildering, as it traps his breath in his throat like he's shot forward in space so quickly that his body almost doesn't know how to keep up.

But then it's over and he feels himself settle back into the world, the air particles shifting around him and the sounds of fighting once again filling his ears as breath filters into his lungs. He opens his eyes and blinks in the sight before him.

He appears to be inside the base now, if the structures around him- metal panels, crates, and unfinished brick walls- are anything to go by. There are a few MT bodies littering the ground, and several more functioning troopers are stationed around the area, their guns aimed forward while they fire ahead. Prompto spots the marshal to the right after he traces the trajectory of their bullets, and he watches as a skilled slice from the marshal's blade instantly downs the MT directly in front of him, even as he continues to dodge the gunfire aimed his way. It's impressive, sure, but it's ultimately unimportant, secondary as Prompto scans the area for any sign of Noct around the battlefield. His eyes finally land on where his friend stands along a metal platform above the ground, focused on the sniper up on the platform while he slashes his sword in precise movements in order to take it down quickly. But he's so caught up that he doesn't notice the other MT behind him, the axeman preparing to launch a device in its arm that's clearly meant to incapacitate Noct and drain his energy. That's Prompto's cue, of course. "Noct!" He shouts impulsively as he leaps into action.

He doesn't even have to think about what he's doing because his body seems to move entirely on its own, instincts kicking in and driving him right to Noct. He warps up to the platform just as quickly as he had arrived within the base, landing right behind Noct in a light blue flash; he then whips out his gun, a well aimed headshot to the axeman wiping it out before it has the chance to reach Noct and do any real damage.

Noct whirls around, his eyes wide as he meets Prompto's gaze, surprise and mirth dancing in his pupils as half a smile immediately finds its way onto his lips. "Prom," he breathes out, confusion coloring his tone, but he looks just as pleased to see Prompto as Prompto feels seeing him and that's more than enough to send a blooming warmth right through Prompto's chest. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass," Prompto replies, unable to hold back a grin as he gestures to the MT he had just bested.

"Is that right?" Noct says teasingly, eyes narrowed, but his smile grows wider and he bumps his shoulder to Prompto's, lingers there for several seconds longer than is probably necessary. "... Thanks for that."

"No prob, buddy." The warmth swims outward, to the tips of his fingers as he tightens his grip on his gun, right up to his cheeks, now rosy as he scratches at the back of his head with his other hand. "I've always got your back, you know."

Noct practically beams at him. "I know," he says affectionately. Prompto almost feels like his heart will explode with the way Noct looks at him, like he's the whole world in Noct's eyes. "Thanks. I mean it."

"Hey, we still have some stragglers down here." The marshal's voice resounds, snapping the two of them out of their brief moment of reprieve, and Prompto glances down to find him eyeing them with something close to amusement. He somehow feels like his cheeks are even more flushed now. "Quit messing around up there and take this mission seriously." Prompto looks back to Noct and they share embarrassed smiles before they head down to help the marshal finish off the rest of the MTs.

Barely any time has passed when they arrive at the opposite side of the gate. The marshal opens it to reveal Ignis, Gladio, and Monica standing over a myriad of destroyed MTs littered along the road, the trio stepping over the remains as they make their way through.

"Marshal, it's good to see you again," Ignis says, offering a short nod in greeting before he turns to Noct and Prompto, at which point he raises an eyebrow and adds, "Prompto. This is where you disappeared off to, I see."

"We were worried, y'know," Gladio says. "Thought maybe the MTs got to ya." His hands are on his hips but he's smiling in spite of the terse tone of his voice, as if he could have seen this coming from a mile away and he can't quite bring himself to chastise Prompto fully for it.

"Sorry about that," Prompto grins sheepishly. "It's, um. It just kind of happened."

"I supposed I should have allowed him to join the prince from the start," Monica says.

"Yes, perhaps," Ignis muses. "Though I am curious. How did you manage to retrace your steps and enter the base in such a short amount of time? I saw you fighting with us just moments before you abruptly vanished."

Prompto's mind short circuits in the midst of trying to come up with an explanation for something he doesn't even fully understand. How exactly can he tell them that he knew Noct needed his help and that thought alone transported him to Noct's side? All he gets out after a brief pause is an ever so eloquent, "Uh."

Noct laughs at that- a small sound, yet it's more than any of them have heard from him in the days since tragedy first struck and it seems to catch them all off guard, the whole group blinking wide eyed at him. "Does it really matter?" He says with a lopsided smile. "Prom helped me out so that's that." And that is that apparently, because the subject is dropped after that, with no room left for any more questions. Prompto feels just a little warmer, and he lets Noct's laughter reverberate in the back of skull just a little longer.

"How were things on your end?" the marshal asks, returning them to somewhat more important matters of business.

"No problems to report," Monica informs him.

"Yeah, the Niffs couldn't take their eyes off us," Gladio adds smugly.

The marshal seems pleased by their success. "And thanks to you we were spared their attention," he says. Prompto is relieved to know that their plan had played out so flawlessly, and that all of them had made it through unscathed. That's honestly the most he could have hoped for, all things considered, and there's a sense of comfort knowing that he was able to protect Noct, as well.

But perhaps all of them had spoken too soon. They probably should have seen this coming.

A low hum vibrates around them and just as Prompto's gaze shoots skyward, landing on a new magitek ship that hovers in over them, an unfamiliar voice echoes over a loudspeaker. "Stay right where you are." A man suited in black armor stands at the entrance of the ship as it opens up, sneering down at the group with obvious disdain and an air of arrogance that leaves Prompto to wonder if this man has ever done anything to warrant such self entitlement in his life. Prompto doesn't like him one bit. The man scans their ragtag group once over and when his eyes reach the marshal, a smirk twists his features. "Well, well, if it isn't Cor the Immortal. So you survived the citadel."

"Loqi," The marshal mutters under his breath, hand on his katana almost instantly. Seeing his reaction, the others draw forth their weapons as well, and Prompto instinctively moves closer to Noct.

"You know this man?" Monica questions as she glances between the marshal and the man called Loqi.

"Loqi Tummelt," the marshal replies bitterly. "Brigadier General of the Niflheim army." An intimidating title, Prompto thinks nervously.

"How troublesome," Ignis says with a sigh.

"I suppose you've been lucky thus far," Loqi calls out. "But you won't survive what I have in store for you. It's past time your legend came to an end." He disappears into the back of his ship only to reappear moments later in the body of a large mech that folds outward menacingly, guns and mechanical arms posed for a full on assault.

"Cocky, aren't we." The marshal seems unimpressed by the open threat and he gestures for the group to spread out around the area as Loqi's mech leaps out of the ship followed by more troopers. They fan out, covering the wide space while the small group of five prepares to take them on. It looks like the fight isn't quite over yet.

Everyone springs into action across the field as gunfire is unleashed and blades slice through the air. The MTs are the easy part, as expected. Gladio and Monica wipe out the row of troopers on one side while Ignis teams up with Noct and Prompto on the opposite side. Prompto waits for openings while Ignis and Noct layer on powerful up close strikes, the aftermath of which leaves Prompto's gunshots the nail in the coffin that takes them down. Though perhaps it's wishful thinking on Prompto's part, as they make quick work of the troopers, to hope that they can deal with Loqi in as short an amount of time.

Even with the MTs eliminated, the battle stretches on while Loqi keeps them on their toes. It's near impossible for them to get close because of the constant gunfire and barrage of missiles fired every few moments, as well as the wide swings from the mech's weaponized arms whenever one of them approaches. Ignis and Monica had been the ones to discover that when they had attempted a link strike and just narrowly avoided a devastating electrical blow as they leapt back out of range. Prompto has done his best to fire at it from a distance but his shots don't seem to be doing much to damage to the machine as Loqi continues his attacks. They're clearly not making any progress, and Prompto feels the frustration in the air, palpable and unnerving while they do their best to slowly whittle down the mech's resistance.

They need a new strategy.

And as it turns out, the marshal seems to be one step ahead of the rest of them on that front. So far, he had been mostly standing back, closely watching what the others were doing, but Prompto comes to the realization that it's because he was analyzing the mech's movements as he pulls both Prompto and Noct aside, giving Monica a signal for her, Ignis, and Gladio to keep Loqi distracted.

"You got a plan?" Noct asks, a hint of excitement barely hidden beneath his hushed tone as they huddle back behind one of the crates that lines the field. The sounds of the battle continue in the background, reminding them of how little time they really have, and there's a sense of urgency as the marshal nods.

"I believe I have, and I'll need both of your assistance," he replies. Prompto looks from the marshal's serious face to Noct, sees the shining determination in Noct's eyes, ready and more than willing to take on one of the figures behind the destruction of their home and the mess Lucis now finds itself in, and that triggers his own enthusiasm to build, the urge to put an end to this flickering through his chest like wildfire. He looses a steadying sigh as he looks back to the marshal and he feels Noct tense beside him with eagerness to do whatever it takes to bring about their inevitable victory. And Prompto thinks that maybe he can protect Noct this way, too.

"Tell us what to do," Prompto says with whole hearted conviction.

It's a little strange, Prompto muses, after listening to the marshal's plan and getting into position with Noct, the two of them occupying the far corners of the field with a clear shot of Loqi's mech even from a distance. Because this plan is only plausible with both Noct and Prompto on the front, and only because Prompto can somehow warp in almost the same way Noct can, and even if that can't be explained or fully understood, the marshal hadn't questioned it as he set them to work. Prompto never could have imagined before leaving Insomnia that he might actually wind up a useful addition to the group but as he looks over to Noct and they lock eyes, a sharp spark seeming to split the air between them as they both nod and bring out their weapons, he finds his chest full of a light, incessant fluttering, a mix of anxiety and restlessness, eagerness to prove himself and a hope that he can keep this up and always be there to help Noct through everything.

The marshal gives the signal and all at once, Prompto and Noct shoot across the field, colliding with the legs of Loqi's mech with a loud crash that echoes around the open space. The sensation of warping is somewhat less dizzying this time, as Prompto finds himself unable to take his eyes off Noct, even as the both of them shimmer with the now familiar blue light and then leap through space, even as Prompto feels vaguely like his heart drops into his stomach for all of half of second. Noct is so graceful in his movements, years and years of warping lending him the experience to carry himself easily and smoothly despite traveling at inhuman speeds through the air, and Prompto really is captivated watching in real time, keeping up with Noct rather than witnessing it from the sidelines. It's truly a sight to behold.

Loqi's mech instantly collapses to the ground with the impact of their blows, incapacitating it and leaving it in an entirely vulnerable state just as the marshal had hoped. And as if on cue, the marshal himself charges forward, his katana tearing into the mech with an overpowering, destructive strength the seems to end the fight in the blink of an eye.

Prompto feels it before he sees the signs, the way the air particles heat up and simmer around the mech just before smoke begins to rise from the scraps of metal, but it only belatedly registers to him that he should probably get away, too late for him to actually begin to process what's happening. He doesn't have any time to react or even think as he's abruptly shoved backward at the same time as the mech explodes into a wide burst of flames. He lands on the ground with a grunt, the wind knocked out of him while Noct lands right on top of him.

Prompto's thoughts are jumbled, rippling around his skull in waves in the aftermath of the explosion, and all he can focus on is the warmth pooling from his chest downward, the tingling in his limbs spreading out from where Noct is sprawled over him, heavy yet comforting. Noct slowly lifts himself up after a few moments, hands pressed on either side of Prompto, and a lopsided grin lights up his face, something about the affection in his expression mirroring itself on Prompto's face as he finds himself smiling back.

"So this is how it feels to be rescued by a prince," Prompto says, almost laughing at how breathless his voice comes out.

Noct rolls his eyes, but the smile doesn't falter one bit as he playfully hits his knuckles against Prompto's forehead. "Go back to sleeping, Beauty," he teases. He offers his hand out and pulls Prompto up with him, doesn't let go even once they're both back on their feet.

The marshal inspects the ruins of Loqi's mech as Ignis, Gladio, and Monica rejoin them. "Impressive," Ignis says, glancing between Noct and Prompto. "The three of you make quite the team." His gaze lingers on Prompto for a moment longer, as if there's something else he wants to say- something that should be important, maybe- but whatever it is goes unsaid and he instead makes his way past them over to the marshal. Prompto wonders about it for only a few seconds and then it slips to the back of his mind, completely forgotten, when Gladio approaches, grinning widely, as if it never happened in the first place.

"Nice going there," Gladio says, pride evident in his voice as he claps both Noct and Prompto on the shoulder, nearly knocking both of them over again. "You really taught that Niff a lesson." Prompto laughs while Noct mumbles complaints at Gladio's excessive force, but he's still smiling even as he shoves Gladio's hand away.

"Any sign of Loqi?" Monica questions as she moves to stand by Ignis, and the marshal finally abandons the mech, lips pursed.

"It seems hs escaped before the explosion," he says, pointing to the sky, at which point Prompto realizes the magitek ship that had dropped him off earlier has long since disappeared. Must have been when all of them were distracted by the exploding mech, he thinks, almost disappointed.

Gladio pounds one fist into the palm of his other hand, half a smirk on his lips. "We'll get him next time."

"Of course," Ignis agrees. He returns to Gladio's side and Gladio wraps an arm around him almost instantly.

"Regardless," the marshal goes on, facing Noct and Prompto, and Prompto sees the smallest of smiles beginning to form at the corners or his mouth, though he finds that he's unsure whether it's meant for him or Noct. "Seeing you in action puts my mind at ease. It's clear I don't need to worry anymore." Further ambiguity, because Prompto could swear the words were for Noct but the marshal is looking right at him.

"There was never a reason to worry in the first place," Noct counters. He acts a little smug, but Prompto can tell how pleased he really is to have won the marshal's approval by the way he stands a bit taller, by the glow in his eyes, and the way he squeezes Prompto's hand just a bit tighter. It makes Prompto feel equally as proud, as the warmth swells in his chest.

The marshall seems amused, cocks an eyebrow and shakes his head. "Perhaps you're right. Well, until next time," he says. He looks between Noct and Prompto, Ignis and Gladio and satisfaction flits across his face. Whatever test he may have intended for them, they appear to have passed with flying colors. "Take care." He turns on his heel, gestures for Monica, and, after Monica bids her own farewell to the group, the two of them take their leave.

Ignis follows behind them to fetch the car and while they wait, Noct gazes down the road, the path forward opened now that the Niffs have been removed. Prompto watches his expression, the mass of emotions swirling like a storm in the depths of his pupils. He reads there just how daunting what lies ahead of them must feel, when none of them knows what's waiting for them, or what the rest of Lucis is like, and Noct more than the rest of them already has such a heavy burden on his shoulders. Prompto looks away and gazes out with Noct, at the blue sky, the pavement stretching out before them, and he wonders if the world looks the same to both of them.

"Ain't so bad out here, once you get used to it," Gladio says, words coming off as encouraging as he moves up to stand next to them.

"Still a lot we haven't seen, though," Prompto replies. He tries to imagine what it will be like after they drive out into Duscae, but he has no idea.

"And a lot for us to do." Ignis' voice sounds as he rejoins them, pulling the car up beside them. True, Prompto thinks. There's no sense in lingering on the unknowns for now. They'll find out soon enough, and all they can do is press on, keep fighting as they have been. 

"Yeah," he says.

"We're just getting started," Gladio agrees. He heads over the Regalia first, climbing into his seat beside Ignis.

But Noct hesitates. He keeps staring out, as if waiting for an answer of some kind to make itself known. An answer to what, though, Prompto can't guess. "Are you scared?" Prompto finds himself asking. He holds Noct's hand tighter and Noct finally tears his gaze away, looking into Prompto's eyes and heaving a sigh that sinks right to Prompto's core.

"Maybe a little," he admits quietly. "But… We'll be okay. I'll be okay." Alongside the worry and the doubts, there's determination now, glittering in his eyes, matching the flames that flicker strong and true in Prompto's chest. It compels Prompto to smile, feeling for the first time since before Insomnia fell that they really can handle this.

He nods as he pulls Noct with him over toward the Regalia. "Yeah, we will be okay," he says warmly. They clamber into their seats, never once releasing their hands still entwined, and Ignis starts to drive once more. 

_ And you will be okay, _ Prompto thinks just to himself, as they pass the gate into Duscae.  _ I'll make sure of it. _


	8. And it's you who burns brightest of all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was this chapter necessary? Maybe not. Did I write anyway so I could write more of Noct and Prompto being mushy and sweet together? Hell yeah. Sorry it took me a while again, still struggling with writing lately.

Things are calm for the first time in as many days and nights as Prompto can think of to remember.

Among hunts and constant battles, adjustments into new territory- landscapes full of new scenery, new creatures, new responsibilities- and the ever present threat of imperial troopers dropping down from the sky because the empire just always seems to know where they are, there hasn't really been much of a chance for the group to relax. They're always on the move from one place to the next, with barely enough time to even stop and think. They need more money, they have to help someone in trouble, they're on the road for most hours of the day, they're exhausted.

Prompto doesn't hate it, not really. Because being beside his friends, being beside Noct is all he's ever wanted and there's a sense of accomplishment whenever they can successfully assist someone or take out a beast that's been threatening the locals. But he also prefers the quiet more than anything, prefers the feeling of content that washes over them all when they're finally seeming to fit into the world around them, adapting to the change and finding their way back to the comfort they once had before. It's not quite the same, and it probably won't ever be, but it's a good place to start and Prompto lets himself enjoy it while he sits in front of the fire and the crackling flames settle into his bones.

They'll reach Lestallum soon and meet up with Iris who's waiting for them there, but for now they can just exist at this haven, with the night sky full of stars twinkling down over them reminding them they're here, they're alright.

They're not close enough to an outpost to stay in a caravan but none of them had complained as they made their way to the nearest safe spot to camp. Gladio had set up the tent while Prompto and Noct had watched the sunset, the fading light dipping below the horizon as more and more stars began to dot the skyline. Prompto had snapped a few photos, of course, camera instinctively in his hands as he sat down, but he had found himself more distracted at the warm colors reflected in Noct's eyes than the last rays of the sun. If Noct had noticed, he didn't let on and simply seemed satisfied to sit beside Prompto at the edge of the haven, their knees close enough to brush, fingertips nearly touching on top of the stone beneath them.

After that, Ignis and Gladio had made dinner together, laughing and smiling as they moved between the ingredients and the cooking space and Noct and Prompto waited patiently for the food. Little touches, hushed whispers in ears; and all the while Noct had pretended to be bothered by their public displays of affection but Prompto hadn't been able to help grinning himself because the fond glow in Noct's eyes gave him away, it always does. It's just as heartwarming as Prompto remembers it.

Then the group had eaten around the fire, talking and joking like they used to, like they aren't four boys far away from a home they can't return to. And it feels nice, Prompto won't deny. It feels like a home away from home, somehow, no matter how temporary.

Now that the meal is finished, Noct has maneuvered his way into Prompto's space almost immediately, abandoning his own chair to sprawl himself haphazardly over Prompto's lap, partially curling inward on himself so that he won't fall off. He wraps one arm around Prompto's chest, the other he slings over his

shoulder, and his knees are pulled up so that he can rest his legs on Prompto's thighs. Prompto responds by hooking his hands around Noct's back and holding him in place, humming when Noct leans in and lays his head just at Prompto's collarbones. There's a number of things Prompto thinks of that he could say to express the tenderness of this moment, but all that makes it to his tongue, as Noct nuzzles closer and the familiar warmth sparks from Prompto's heart outward, is, "We haven't done this in a while."

Eloquent.

Noct rolls his eyes but there's a soft smile already forming on his lips. "Done what, got some proper rest?" he teases lightly. "Because yeah, that goes without saying."

Prompto purses his lips to hold back his own smile. "You're right about that," he replies quietly. "Feels a bit weird, doesn't it? It's something we used to take for granted, I guess." Prompto can only just barely recall the peace and quiet of Insomnia, when he and Noct used to sleep through the night and wake up in the morning well rested, the only threat looming over them that of upcoming exams. It was a different time, he thinks. Before they had to grow up in the blink of an eye.

"True. That aside though," Noct adds, the mischief in his tone gone as he tightens his grip around Prompto and shifts to bury his face in Prompto's neck. "I missed this. Reminds me of when we were in high school."

"... Sure does." Prompto can't stop the way his heartbeat skips in chest, the sensation so strong that he's positive Noct will have felt it as well. Heat pools in the tip of his ears as he presses his cheek to the top of Noct's head, as he holds Noct just a bit tighter.

"Can I… Can I say something else?" Noct's voice is quiet now, muffled against Prompto's neck when he speaks again, the low buzz fluttering it's way down and across Prompto's chest and stealing his breath away. He can only manage a small grunt in reply. "It might sound kinda silly," Noct says after a pause. He sounds a little sheepish, a little hesitant, but there's an affection underlying his words that seeps into Prompto's heart, heavy and warm like the sun. "I feel safe like this. I remember, even back in high school, it was the same. Every time I'm in your arms… I don't know. It feels like nothing can hurt me anymore." He laughs, something light and airy, almost embarrassed, that brushes along Prompto's skin like a ghost of spring. And the words themselves swirl around in Prompto's mind, stark, crystal clear in a white fog of incomprehensible thoughts. Confirmation, perhaps. That Prompto is right where he's supposed to be and he always has been.

"I'll always be here to keep you safe," Prompto says, and the sincerity of his words almost feels palpable in the night air. "I'll never let you go."

It isn't the first time Prompto has thought or said something along those lines, but it's the first time that he can sense beneath the sentiment something far more real than it's ever felt before. Because it's the truth, and Prompto means it more than he's ever meant anything.

Noct laughs again, even softer than the last time, like the quiet warmth of the afternoon sun as it bathes him in light and sinks right to his core. An eternal, immeasurable warmth that Prompto wouldn't give up for anything. "I'll hold you to that," Noct says.

A comfortable silence falls over them, the only other sound the occasional gentle whispers from Ignis and Gladio on the opposite side of the fire that lull Noct ever closer to sleep, his eyelashes fluttering as his eyes fall shut and his breathing grows slower, deeper. Prompto laughs lightly, could have seen this coming from a mile away, and he carefully reaches up to brush his fingers tenderly through Noct's hair, the soothing motion eliciting a satisfied sigh from Noct's lips. It isn't long before he's sound asleep cradled against Prompto. And this is true happiness, Prompto thinks. No doubt about it.

Eventually, Gladio stands and moves around the fire to stand in front of Prompto's chair, an amused grin spreading across his face as he blinks between Prompto and Noct's sleeping form. "And you guys were teasing us," he says pointedly.

"Not my fault Noct can't keep off me," Prompto returns smugly, despite the pink he feels building in his cheeks. "And for the record, he was the one teasing, not me." If Noct were awake, he would protest that, try to argue that he said no such thing even as he blushed, gave himself away like a flashing neon sign, and the three of them would wind up laughing, loud and full and warm at their ridiculous antics. But presently, Noct merely shifts without a sound and burrows himself further into Prompto.

"Seems like it's bedtime." Gladio holds back a chuckle at the sight of the tired prince and Prompto, if he were anyone else, might feel embarrassed being seen like this, but he's not, and he doesn't really care, not when Noct feels like the whole world in his arms. Even he's feeling sleepy at this point.

He nods slowly. "You're right. We should probably head in."

Ignis cuts in before they can make for the tent though, before Prompto has even begun to attempt to move Noct off of him. "Before we retreat for the night, I should like to have a conversation with Prompto." There's a note of finality in his tone that catches both Prompto and Gladio by surprise, and with no room for refusal, they quickly acquiesce.

"You got it, Iggy," Prompto says. His nerves spike a little, inevitably, because something about Ignis still throws him off sometimes, whether it's how formal he always is, or the fact that he always seems one step ahead of everyone else. But he can't want to talk to Prompto about anything bad, not on a night like tonight, after all. He lets himself believe that as he stretches his arms over his head and then stifles a yawn into the back of his hand. Now removing Noct and getting him into the tent… That's the real problem.

"Need some help?" Gladio asks, raising an eyebrow as he steps closer and leans down. "I can take Prince Charmless off to bed for ya."

Relief immediately floods through Prompto and he offers a sheepish grin while Gladio fails to keep himself from laughing this time. "Yeah, thanks Gladio," he replies. "You're a lifesaver."

It still takes quite a bit of effort, because Noct is so tangled up with Prompto and he very clearly doesn't want to let go, his iron grip around Prompto near impossible to break even for Gladio's impeccable strength. But at last Gladio manages to pry Noct away and carries him off to the tent, though not without a last bit of teasing. "Noct is only this stubborn when it comes to you, y'know," he says and Prompto would be hard pressed to deny it when he knows that Gladio is right. So he doesn't, waves bashfully until Gladio disappears into the tent and then drops his hand into his lap with a quiet sigh.

However, with Noct and Gladio now absent, leaving Prompto alone with Ignis, Prompto finds his anxiety growing once more, slowly bubbling to the surface. His mind attempts and fails to come up with every possible thing Ignis could want to talk to him about, because nothing seems to fit and he's only making himself more and more nervous, his heartbeat stuttering the slightest while he takes a deep breath in order to calm himself. It doesn't work; he's a little lightheaded, a little fuzzy at the edges by the time Ignis begins to speak.

The words are certainly not anything he could have expected.

"Noct is very attached to you," Ignis says. The way he states it, like it's irrefutable fact and not just an observation makes Prompto freeze, and his breath catches in his throat, hovering somewhere between his lungs and his mouth, not quite able to make it down.

He swallows, tries to calm the whirlwind of thoughts in his head as Ignis blinks expectantly at him. "... Yeah," he finally says. His heartbeat increases, pounding an uneven rhythm against his rib cage. "And he's not the only one."

Ignis seems like to his response, the open admission causing half a smile to pull at his lips as he crosses his arms over his chest and fixes Prompto with an inquisitive stare. "True. You have proven your own feelings time and time again these last few years and I have no reason to doubt your sincerity."

It almost feels like praise, even though it isn't necessarily- at least, it might as well be coming from Ignis. Prompto feels his face flushing all the same. "Noct means everything to me," he mumbles, playing with the strands of hair that frame his face.

"I'm well aware."

"Then… there's something else you wanted to talk about." Prompto tries to read Ignis' expression but comes up empty handed. It reminds him of when they fought Loqi, and several times since then, when Ignis looked deep in thought, analytical as he fixed Prompto with an intense stare that Prompto had begun to wonder if he had simply imagined. It's too much, so he gives up on deciphering it, looks away and focuses on the fire, the small flames that dance off the wood and flicker in the air before disappearing. He swallows again.

"Correct," Ignis says. "I could never put it into words, and even now, I'm not sure I fully grasp just what role you have yet to play. But… You are special somehow… Aren't you, Prompto?" He pauses and then more quietly adds, "I get the feeling you know more than you're letting on."

Prompto is silent for several moments, Ignis' words hanging in the air, almost tangible under the dark sky like falling stars. He sees the image in the back of his mind again- the same one that drives him onward- flashing under his eyelids when he blinks. Noct's body in that throne, lifeless and unmoving. He thinks of everything he doesn't know yet, and of the fate they supposedly face that he can't even possibly fathom in its entirety, something that may or may not come to pass in the end. And he realizes he has no idea how to express any of this, the thoughts and feelings he can't explain lingering just under his skin and pulsing there, unintelligible but ever present, streaming through his veins and constantly reminding him that there's still so much left to go, so much left to do. So much that he needs to protect Noct from.

"Maybe," Prompto whispers. "Maybe not. I don't know." His hands clench into fists and he smiles despite himself, feels the familiar heat in his heart, flames burning at the spaces between his ribs. "All I do know is that I'm going to do everything I can to make sure he's safe. I won't let anything or anyone harm him."

He finally works up the courage to turn back to Ignis, and he finds to his surprise that Ignis is genuinely smiling at him, emanating an unprecedented warmth that would have bowled Prompto over if he wasn't sitting down. He's left winded and speechless. "I say this both as your friend and as Noct's caretaker," Ignis tells him earnestly. "I am truly glad you're here with him."

Prompto blinks wide eyed at him. Whatever he might have expected when Ignis said he wanted to talk, this would never have been it. "Thanks," is all he manages to say, chest full of sparks, head full of cotton. He doesn't think he could figure out what else to say even if he wanted to so he doesn't.

The conversation ends there. 

Ignis appears to be satisfied with the exchange, and he bids Prompto goodnight before he heads into the tent first. But Prompto stays where he is for a little longer, watching the campfire slowly dwindle as he thinks of Noct's smile, breathtaking like the dawn, like the sun bursting over the horizon after years and years of darkness. He'll make sure that Noct will always be smiling.

He'll keep his promise.

 

\---

 

Ignis climbs quietly into the tent and maneuvers his way around Noct's sleeping form to his sleeping bag where it's stretched out next to Gladio's. It's easy enough to avoid waking the prince, because he sleeps like a log and won't budge unless he absolutely has to, but he still maintains as much stealth as possible, perhaps more out of habit than anything else. Gladio looks amused when Ignis lays down beside him, immediately pulling him into an embrace and holding him against his chest.

"So," his partner says, voice a low rumble that warms Ignis from head to toe. "Did you find the answers you were lookin' for?"

Ignis hums softly. "Not necessarily," he replies. He thinks of the fire in Prompto's eyes, the determination beneath his tender smile, and he thinks of all that Prompto has already done and will do, for Noct and for Eos. "But it was enough for now."

"You reach any kinda conclusion?"

Ignis chuckles. "Yes, in fact. I believe Prompto has the power to change the world."

"Huh," Gladio says. "Interesting."

Interesting, indeed, Ignis thinks as he curls up with Gladio, ready for sleep to take him. He certainly didn't expect this when he first met Prompto several years back, not when Noct announced with pride that he had made his first friend, not when Prompto had begun practically living at the prince's apartment. He had always seemed flighty, easily flustered. It wasn't that Ignis had doubted his loyalty to Noct, because that had and has always been clear, but he can't deny that he had questioned Prompto's abilities and how he would fare in battle. He can see now it was foolish of him to have allowed those negative judgments to cloud his view, especially when Prompto has more than proven himself thus far.

He's quite looking forward to seeing just what Prompto is capable of in the future.


	9. One step at a time, your hand in mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FINALLY FINISHED THIS CHAPTER.... I'm so sorry for the unintentional hiatus on this fic. I got sick at the beginning of October and then I lost the motivation to work on it (and somehow ended up writing 2 other fics in the meantime lol) but I didn't give up!!! And I hope y'all like my rendition of the motel scene. I really wanted to include it in this fic but I also felt it didn't necessarily fit my au in its original form so I changed it around a bit and well. It was fun to write regardless. Thanks for waiting and here's hoping I won't take this long to get out the next chapter after this one sdjfdjkg

They're in a motel on the way to Lestallum, close but not close enough. One more day, Ignis had said before he pulled into the outpost and parked the Regalia. Just one more day and they'll reach the city.

And Prompto can't really complain. The balcony door is open and rain patters softly against the wood, humming a gentle melody that envelops the room in a quiet nostalgia, something sweet and familiar. Ignis and Gladio are talking a ways off, their voices blending into the background noise so that Prompto can't even pick out individual words over the buzz of raindrops on his eardrums. Meanwhile Prompto himself is curled up on one of the beds, wrapped up in Noct's arms. 

He's cozy- a little drowsy, a little more than comfortable- the blankets pulled up to his shoulders over the both of their bodies, and Noct's arms are a soothing weight on his back. He can feel Noct's heartbeat, steady as it vibrates from Prompto's head downward, as it reverberates around, in sync with the slow pulse emanating from his own heart, and sings a quiet tune only he can hear. He nuzzles closer, face almost buried in Noct's chest as a satisfied sigh escapes his lips.

He's warm and content as he drifts off.

 

\---

 

And Ignis was right, as it turns out. 

The group wakes up early the next morning- or at least, as early as they can manage to get Noct out of bed- and gets back on the road, and only a few hours later Lestallum looms over them, a stark contrast to the sparse establishments outside the city. It's exciting in a way the rest of their travels haven't been thus far, because it's almost familiar, almost bordering on something they once knew. Prompto always preferred the city life and being in Lestallum, immediately surrounded by lights and colors, sounds and smells, it just serves to remind him how much that still holds true. He won't say he misses Insomnia, because he can't let himself, not with everything that's happened, but he comes the closest to longing he's felt since they left as he looks at the crowded streets of Lestallum. He wonders if the others feel it too.

"This place is pretty big," Noct says as he gets out of the Regalia, gazing up at the city in awe, tracing the tops of the buildings, following along the line of the cable car at the outskirts. There's a twinkle in his eyes, his own enthusiasm only just barely masked under the blanket of sleep that still clings to him even after several hours of being awake, and it puts a warm smile on Prompto's face.

"Yeah, haven't been able to enjoy a place like this in a while," Gladio muses. "Have to say it's a nice change of pace." He steps away from the car and stretches, most likely stiff from the long ride, and after stretching, he fishes his phone out of his pocket to send a message to Iris now that they've arrived.

"I like it," Prompto says earnestly. He's already itching to go around and find the best photo spots, instinctually reaching for his camera like it's his lifeline. But he knows it will have to wait until after they're settled, especially as he watches Gladio return his phone to its place in his pocket and he and Ignis are already heading for the stairs up from the parking lot.

"There will be time to explore later," Ignis predictably says, gesturing for Noct and Prompto to join them.

Gladio nods in agreement. "Iris is at the Leville, we shouldn't keep her waiting." Prompto and Noct share a look, a silent promise to explore the entire city from top to bottom once they're free, and then they fall into step behind Ignis and Gladio.

They head up the stairs and across the main road into the thoroughfare, where stalls are lined up with delicious looking food, and people litter the space whether they're just passing through, or lingering to talk to one another or make a purchase. It's overwhelming, but not in a bad way, Prompto thinks as he walks beside Noct, their shoulders brushing with each step. It feels so much more lively than anything they encountered in Duscae or Cleigne, like it's way more lived in, way more  _ alive _ , and that's comforting somehow. With the way Noct keeps looking around, as if every little thing from the graffiti on the walls to the posters with all kinds of local advertisements for meals and souvenirs has caught his attention, Prompto thinks Noct probably feels the same.

The streets are a little maze like, stone paths forking in some places and leading to dead ends in others, both mysterious and intriguing while they attempt to make their way to the hotel. Prompto finds himself mesmerized by them, clockwork in his mind ticking and leaving him to wonder where each turn would take him if he just let himself go and walked wherever his feet took him. He hopes he and Noct will be able to do just that soon, the thought of traversing the streets and snapping pictures with Noct, neither of them worried about getting lost while they have each other, putting a slight bounce in his step. 

The group thankfully manages to find the Leville with relative ease.

Prompto seems to sense it before he feels it, almost like he knew it would happen before it did, something rumbling in the balls of his feet and quietly rattling at his bones as the group approaches the hotel. He's just about to push the sensation to the back of his mind, half sure he imagined it, when suddenly the ground begins to shake. Prompto almost loses his balance trying to keep himself upright, and yet as quickly as the quake had arrived, it slips away, leaving a jarring silence in its wake and vibrations still simmering through Prompto's body.

"That was strange," Ignis says, glancing around as if he expects an explanation for the tremor to make itself apparent.

"Didn't know they get earthquakes out here," Gladio mutters.

And then Noct sways and Prompto doesn't even think, shoots forward to catch him before he can make contact with the pavement. "Noct, Are you okay?" He asks, concern emanating from each word as Noct shakes himself, a grimace still pulling his lips into a pained frown. Prompto's heart hammers in his chest but he can't put his finger on a reason why.

"What's wrong?" Ignis approaches in wide strides, eyeing Noct worriedly while Prompto helps him back to his feet.

"Nothing," Noct says. It's not nothing, Prompto thinks, almost wants to argue. He doesn't know why he knows that but he does, feels a vague sense of foreboding flickering just beneath his ribcage. "My head just started throbbing."

"Is it still throbbing?" Gladio questions as he moves to stand beside Ignis.

"No." Noct purses his lips. His expression is off, like there's more he wants to say but he doesn't know how to say it, like there's something else to his random headache, but before Prompto has the chance to ask, Noct takes a step forward and points to the Leville, face flat once more. "I'm fine. Let's go."

With little resistance, they drop the subject and head into the hotel to meet with Iris. But the occurrence sticks with Prompto subconsciously, something about the odd earthquake striking him in an inexplicable way, and it hovers at the back of his mind, unable to go completely forgotten even as the event is left behind them. He vaguely thinks it seems important but with nothing else to go off, he focuses his attention on the present for now.

Maybe he'll be able to make sense of it later.

 

\---

 

Noct doesn't remember falling asleep.

He remembers entering the hotel and the click of his shoes on the tiled floor, followed by his friends' when they came in behind him and they gathered at the foot of the stairway to wait. He remembers Iris coming down the stairs and greeting their small group excitedly, all smiles, relief palpable in the air as they all let it sink in that the five of them were alright, that none of them were harmed or worse considering the circumstances. He remembers Iris leading them up to the room she had rented, Jared and Talcott coming to say hello, and the young boy's unbridled enthusiasm as he swore to help Noct and his friends, something that stuck with Noct even after the boy was gone. And then their group sat down so they could talk about everything that had happened thus far. The destruction of the crown city, Iris' escape, the empire's plans, and how the four of them have fared until now, how much has changed and how much hasn't. It had felt nice, cozy even, with the presence of another friend after all this time.

There was one more thing, he recalls. "I heard rumors that Lady Lunafreya was in town," Iris had said toward the end of their discussion, and Noct remembers feeling like he had just surfaced after being underwater for a long time without air. It hadn't been at the forefront of his mind, not with how busy they've been as they made their way to Lestallum, but he can't deny that he had perhaps allowed himself the horrible thought that, like the news report said, Luna had perished along with his father. He's glad it's not true, that she's most likely safe, at least for now.

But that's about all he remembers. 

He doesn't know how he ended up in one of the hotel beds with the blankets pulled up over him, or for how long he's been out. He wakes slowly with a stifled yawn to the sensation of being shaken, a warm hand on his shoulder gently rousing him from the lingering clutches of sleep. He almost wants to push it away or ignore it in favor of more sleep, but knowing who it is, he can't fully bring himself to mind as he carefully blinks open his eyes.

And all at once, Noct forgets how to breathe entirely. 

He's almost unsure if he's really awake anymore as he gazes, awestruck, at the figure before him. Golden hair, glittering and shining in the rays of the sun that filters in from the balcony door, and bright eyes full of so much warmth, transfixed on Noct while he smiles, reaches out to brush tender fingers through Noct's hair and then stands back. Truly breathtaking, Noct thinks. Ethereal. He swears to the astrals he can practically see wings, flowing white dancing and fluttering at his back in the sunlight, and a glowing circle hovering over the crown of his head. Noct can't tell if his heart is beating or not, a storm erupting under the confines of his chest, barely comprehensible, and all he can do is stare, will himself to say something, anything.

"Prompto," he finally gets out. It nearly comes out a question, as if he fears he'll blink and the vision of his friend will be gone. But Prompto just laughs, the sound bubbling up and pouring from Noct's veins.

"What's up? You still sleeping? C'mon, we put you to bed early last night, you can't still be tired." His tone is teasing but his expression is almost painfully soft. Noct feels like he'll melt in mere seconds.

He doesn't respond and instead shifts without thinking, moving the blankets off himself and crawling forward until he's just at the edge of the bed, right in front of Prompto. It's like he needs the confirmation, to ground himself in reality somehow and prove this isn't a dream. He lifts his hands and slowly, his palms find Prompto's face, cupping his cheeks, feeling the smooth sensation of Prompto's skin under his fingertips. Prompto blinks at him, slight crease in his brow, a rosy color filling in at the tips of his ears, across his face, leaving the freckles there to become more pronounced, like clusters of stars. Noct can feel his warmth, feels it spread from his hands upward, to his arms and into his chest. He wants that warmth closer, even now. Prompto is his angel, he knows that for certain.

"Noct," Prompto says quietly. Noct locks eyes with him, sees the question there and at last pulls himself back down. His hands drop to his sides and he shakes himself just a little bit, trying to clear his thoughts.

"Sorry," he says, sheepishly rubbing at the back of his neck. "You came to wake me up for a reason, right?"

Prompto grins. "That's right. Iris offered to show us around Lestallum. She's waiting for us down in the lobby."

"Iris. Got it." Noct yawns again, stretches and stands from the bed. "Let's get going then." Steadily, the rest of the room comes into focus and the glow dissipates, shrinking down until it's limited to Prompto's eyes, just the smallest hint spilling over as he beams and begins to lead Noct from the room. But the sight of Prompto in the light, pure and radiant, so wholly angelic, sticks with Noct.

He burns it into his mind, and can't help himself from grabbing Prompto's hand in his own as they make their way down the stairs.

 

\---

 

Iris is pleased when she sees Prompto leading Noct down the stairs, waving excitedly and grinning when they join her by the door. "Morning, sleepyhead," she greets, laughing when Noct yawns again, and Prompto can't help a small laugh of his own as Noct manages to get out a muffled reply.

"Morning," Noct says. He glances around the hotel lobby and then adds, "Where are Ignis and Gladio?"

"They got a head start on us," Prompto says, gesturing outside the Leville pointedly. "Because a certain someone kept sleeping." At that, Noct shoots him a look that's half indignant, half sheepish and Prompto laughs again.

"Yeah, Gladdy said he was gonna take Iggy to the market," Iris explains. She bounces on her heels and then takes the lead, glancing back only to make sure Prompto and Noct are following her out of the hotel. "So we should go have fun, too, right? Oh, and don't worry about getting lost. I'll show you around."

"Thanks." Noct seems amused by her enthusiasm as they follow behind her. "Guess we owe you one."

Iris smiles and leads them down an adjacent alleyway toward a fork in the path, pausing before they choose a direction. "No problem. I was originally planning on asking just Noct but.." Her smile is almost mischievous. "then I saw Prompto waiting too and I remembered how inseparable you two are. I don't think Prompto would leave your side for anything, Noct."

Her words feel both playful and serious somehow, and they buzz along Prompto's skin, dragging up an acute sense of heat that bubbles underneath, pools in his cheeks and his fingertips, both familiar and strangely comfortable. He's not embarrassed- maybe just a little bashful, a little flustered by how right she is, and how much he can't even jokingly deny it.

Noct probably knows it too, because he's holding back a smile of his own and squeezing Prompto's hand, eyes shining as he glances at Prompto out of the corner of his eye. "I don't think I would have it any other way," he says, laughter in his tone, and Prompto finds his only regret in this moment is the fact that it's too hard for him to use his camera with only one hand.

Iris giggles. "Yep. You guys are something else."

They make their way through the market first, the hustle and bustle both exciting and overwhelming. There's so much to look at that Prompto almost doesn't know where to look between the stall of delicious street food, farm fresh ingredients, herbs and spices, and all sorts of trinkets. And crowds of people litter the streets, moving through the space as they browse the goods or chat, or head for the restaurant at the back where an elderly tipster eagerly waves to get their attention. At Iris' suggestion, Noct buys some skewers for himself and Prompto and they share them, the mouthwatering taste even more memorable because Prompto gets to see the pink that dusts Noct's cheeks when Prompto leans over to share his skewer and Noct almost shyly takes a bite, because he's able to grab his camera just in time for that moment and capture Noct's rosy cheeks against the backdrop of market hues, the skewer just in front of his lips. He can't help feeling proud of that shot, as they slowly head for the back of the market area.

Next up is the power plant, a large facility run using meteor power that keeps the whole city lit at all times, and then they snake back through the alleys toward the main road. 

Iris makes for great company, all smiles while she tells them all sorts of facts about Lestallum, and an even better guide, as Prompto realizes. True to her word, she seems to know the city like the back of her hand already and she easily leads them through the alleys, to the different attractions it has to offer without coming close to getting lost. Prompto's honestly impressed, because he's quite sure if it were just him and Noct, they would probably never make it back to the hotel. Not that he would necessarily mind that, all things considered. Getting lost with Noct sounds near ideal, but all the same, Iris is a pleasure and she practically sparkles every time Noct or Prompto gives an interested response to some little tidbit she's just shared with them.

The last spot they visit is the Outlook, where Iris excitedly shows them the binoculars that let them view the Disc of Cauthess in the distance. It feels a little strange somehow when Prompto gazes at it, as if it's almost familiar, but he can't quite place why so he pushes the thought to the back of his mind, holds Noct's hand tightly in his own while Noct leans down to take a closer look at the meteor.

By the time they make it back to the hotel, it's late afternoon and Ignis and Gladio have since returned. Ignis had apparently stocked up on plenty of ingredients while at the market with Gladio and he's already working on a dinner meal when Noct, Prompto, and Iris enter the hotel room, the whole area smelling strongly of delicious spices which makes Noct's stomach growl and everyone else burst out laughing. Noct pretends to be annoyed, calling everyone out for laughing at his hunger pangs, but his lighthearted grin reveals his true feelings, affection bubbling over while he clings to Prompto's arm and throws a flimsy punch at Gladio, who happens to be nearest.

Dinner is pleasant, something comfortable, reminiscent of what they used to know. Iris sticks around to eat with them and the food Ignis prepares is beyond delicious, the spices adding a myriad of flavors that none of them have experienced before and, to Ignis' satisfaction, that all of them thoroughly enjoy. After the meal is finished, they chat and play card games, which Prompto loses miserably. Of course he wouldn't hesitate to admit that he can only half bring himself to care though, especially because Noct had been the winner of their games and his unbridled delight at his victory had been sorely contagious, even against the usual competitive nature of his friends. It's hard to stay upset, not with the way Noct's smiling wholeheartedly, eyes glowing, bright as the sun in their dim hotel room. That smile always gets to Prompto, burrows into his chest and leaves him breathless.

However futile, he wishes their ragtag group could just stay like this forever: together, happy, nothing imminently weighing on their consciences for the time being.

As it gets later, Iris retires to her own room and the four of them get ready for bed. Prompto's sleepy after such a busy, fun-filled day, and he's looking forward to curling up with Noct under the blankets, but just as he and Noct lay down, he feels Noct lean in behind him, whispering quietly into his ear so that Ignis and Gladio are sure not to hear, his breath warm and fluttering against the back of Prompto's neck. "Don't even think about falling asleep. Once Specs and Gladio are out, there's something I wanna show you."

"Got it, Prompto whispers back, barely able to suppress a shiver. He can put off sleep if Noct's the one asking.

They don't have to wait long, thankfully. Ignis almost always falls asleep within five minutes after he lays down and shortly after that, they can hear soft snores from Gladio, signalling his descent into slumber. Then Noct taps his toes against Prompto's calf and the two of them slide out of their bed, pulling on socks and shoes and leaving the hotel room as quietly as possible. Once out in the hallway, Noct immediately takes hold of Prompto's hand, lacing their fingers together and leading him to the stairs. "Where are we going, Noct?" he asks.

"You'll see," Noct replies.

They climb up a flight of stairs and then stop at a locked door, at which point Noct releases Prompto so he can make quick work of the lock. "Since when did you get so good at lockpicking?" Prompto asks incredulously, raising an eyebrow as Noct once again takes hold of his hand.

"What, you think I don't have a few tricks up my sleeve?" He gives Prompto a cheeky grin, one that has Prompto immediately grinning back, and then he opens the door and leads Prompto out.

They're on the roof of the hotel now, a few stories up, and Noct brings Prompto right out, telling him not to look up just yet. So Prompto keeps his eyes on his feet and lets Noct pull him forward, no questions asked. They stop just at the edge of the roof and Noct gestured for Prompto to sit down with him so Prompto does, slowly lowering himself onto the concrete and following suit when Noct swings his legs down over the side. At last, Noct squeezes Prompto's hand a bit and then says, "Look up."

The view is incredible. 

Prompto does nothing but stare out for a few minutes, at the city spread out in front of his feet, buildings seeming smaller from higher up, the sparkling lights that dance along the streets and the crowds of people still going about their business even in the middle of the night. When he looks up, the stars overhead glitter despite the glare of city lights shining underneath, and they dot the sky with specks of pale light that capture Prompto's breath. "Beautiful, isn't it," Noct says, voice soft as if he's afraid to talk louder and disturb the tranquility of the moment.

"Gorgeous," Prompto says. He feels like he could look at a sight like this forever and he would barely feel the time passing.

"I knew you would like it." Noct shifts closer, enough that he can lean in and rest his head against Prompto's shoulder. "I heard some locals saying the view from the rooftop of the Leville was great and well…"

"Your first thought was how much you wanted to show me? Aw, Noct, I'm flattered." Prompto plays it off, tries to leave his tone light and playful, but he feels the pointed warmth that pools in his cheeks, seeps into his chest from where Noct touches his shoulder, and spreads outward into his limbs. Noct has always been good at this, like he has Prompto's heart in the palm of his hand. He knows just how to win Prompto over every time.

"You're always my first thought," Noct says. And Gods Prompto feels like he would probably melt if Noct wasn't right beside him, keeping him steady even with the fluttering in his chest, the erratic beat of his heart, the familiar flames licking at the edges of the muscle and flickering to life within him. He has no idea what he can even say to that, so he doesn't, just holds Noct's hand a little tighter, rests his cheek on the top of Noct's head and takes a deep breath.

They sit quietly together for a while, just taking in the nightlife scenery and the quiet hum of a city that never really sleeps. It feels both peaceful and energizing, light and heat crawling under Prompto's skin, fueling the fire with each beat of his heart. He blinks up at the sky and sighs, feeling like somehow the world is so big and they're so small. Small enough but just big enough to be a part of something bigger. Prompto nuzzles closer to Noct, the need for closeness suddenly overwhelming.

"So how long have we been friends now?" He breaks the quiet, voice buzzing in the space around them and then blending into the backdrop of sound. "Beginning of high school, right? So that's five years." 

He doesn't know why he brought this up, as if something about this moment is dragging all the nostalgia Prompto tries not to focus too hard on right to the surface. But Noct nods anyway, unquestioning. "Yeah," he says, voice warm. "but we've known each other way longer than that. Ever since elementary school."

Simple words really, and yet they set off a chain reaction in Prompto's chest, overpowering fluttering, wings hitting his ribcage, breath getting lost somewhere between the butterflies and the lump in his throat. "You… You remember that?" He feels like he's shaking but he's not and Noct's holding his hand again, lacing their fingers together firmly.

"Could hardly forget being gawked at." His tone is playful, dancing on Prompto's fingertips, from his palm where Noct touches him up his arm. Prompto's pretty sure his cheeks are flushed pink as he laughs lightly, sheepishly.

"Well, it isn't exactly easy being in the presence of royalty, y'know." He's dodging the real heart of the issue and he knows it- maybe Noct knows it too- but he can't bring himself to say more. The stars twinkle overhead in the dark sky, blinking right back down at Prompto.

Noct goes on. "And when we did meet in high school… You pretended it was the first time."

"That…" Prompto feels even more breathless. "It's because… It was the first time I ever worked up the courage to say something." Prompto can see the very moment in his head, everything leading up to it urging him forward, nervous and excited and terrified all at once, because the dreams, the changes in his life, the hopes he had chased all this time were all for this. His feet had carried him forward and at last, Prompto broke through the clouds, where Noct was shining at the end, waiting for him with a smile like nothing Prompto had ever seen.

"You should have said something sooner," Noct says softly. 

Sooner. There are so many things that might have changed had Prompto actually been able to open up to Noct back them, had they been introduced back when they were kids. It's almost scary to think about, so many possibilities, so many ways things could have been different. Too many.

He sighs again, his heart shuddering in his chest. "I… I wasn't the same person I am now." Somewhere deep down, Prompto can still find the traces of a small, anxious boy hidden beneath his cheerful exterior, beneath the jokes and the smiles, who was used to being alone and didn't know how to make friends, especially not when he couldn't even be proud of who he was. A child who couldn't even begin to picture himself at the prince's side. There was nothing he could have done back then to head down that path, and he isn't sure his childhood self would have even thought he deserved it.

"Of course you weren't." Noct's voice is so matter-of-fact when he responds that it catches Prompto completely off guard and derails anything else he might have thought about his past. "No one stays the same as they get older and grow and figure out who they are. But your youth is just as much a part of you as the you now. And I think… I would have liked to be there with you the whole way."

Prompto doesn't miss the note of longing in both his voice and the shining lights in Noct's eyes, earnesty glowing in the depths of his pupils even brighter than the city lights and the stars combined. Like his words are the absolute truth, despite being roundabout and poorly worded, and Prompto can't counter the sentiment even if he tried. So he won't.

"I think… I would have liked that too."

Quiet envelops them again- though it's never silent, not with the bustle of crowds down below- while Prompto tries to collect himself, the swirling mess of incomplete sentences and unfinished thoughts a thick fog in his head. He gazes out at Lestallum, tracing the tops of buildings with his eyes, and he focuses on Noct next to him, on his familiar, comforting warmth, the tight squeeze he gives Prompto's hand and the way he nuzzles against Prompto's shoulder as he tries to figure out what it is he wants to say. He takes a deep breath. "I used to be super shy," he says, voice shaking ever so slightly. "Couldn't talk to people. No surprises but I had no friends, at least not real ones. I was always alone." 

Noct listens intently, no interruptions as Prompto continues.

"But… then I met you. And Iggy and Gladio too. And I feel kind of like… I found my spot in the universe, if that makes sense." He thinks of the dreams, the voice, the desire to be with Noct always and protect him. He thinks of everything the two of them have been through together, and everything that has yet to pass. The sky hasn't changed as Prompto looks up at it but he feels like the stars are shimmering even more brilliantly down on him, encouraging him to let out the words on the end of his tongue. The words he's always wanted to say, ever since the beginning. "I'm not the same worthless kid I used to be," he says softly. "Even with all my hang-ups, I worked hard and I earned my place here with you guys. I guess… what I'm trying to say is, I'm finally starting to feel like I'm good enough. And there's no other place I'd rather be."

Noct doesn't speak right away when Prompto finishes, as if he's waiting to be sure Prompto isn't going to add anything else, letting his honest sentiments dissipate into the space around them. But then he's shifting off Prompto's shoulder and releasing his hand so he can lift his hands up and cup Prompto' face, pulling Prompto toward him and locking eyes with him. Prompto sees so much affection, so much pride there that his heart nearly stops. He thinks he could lose himself in Noct's eyes, wholly and completely and the only thing keeping him upright, keeping him from falling the whole way down is the very same thing that knocks all the air from his lungs and turns his limbs to jelly. Noct's touch, hands so warm and smile like the sun against the night sky. "You've always been good enough, Prom," he says. This time, there's not a doubt in Prompto's mind that Noct is telling the truth.

It's weird how the very air seems to quiver around them after he speaks, full of something Prompto can't quite put a name to, and everything else melts away until all that's left is him and Noct. The sounds fade to muted silence, and the city dulls into nothing, pale in comparison to Noct, to heavy lidded eyes, lips slightly parted, thumbs brushing Prompto's cheeks in gentle, deliberate strokes. Closer, closer. Noct is leaning in, closing the small distance between them slowly, almost painfully, inching forward until Prompto can feel the huff of his breath against his face. He instinctively reacts, grabbing the back of Noct's shirt in his fists, fingers trembling. Maybe he knows what to expect, maybe he doesn't, but he can't stop himself from giving into it. He can't remember how many times he's thought about something like this and here it is, in the waking world, coming closer, closer, closer. The moment seems to last for eternity, seconds, minutes, hours, who knows how long stretching on. 

Then abruptly, loud laughter explodes in the square below, a group of rowdy people who don't seem to notice the time as they make their way toward the hotel startling both Noct and Prompto out of their trance. 

And just as quickly as it was initiated, it's suddenly over, the spell broken just like that. Noct lets out a deep, sheepish breath, leans back and clasps his hands in his lap, his eyes averted toward the sky. Meanwhile a mix of emotions takes hold of Prompto's heart, nerves, anticipation, disappointment maybe. He can't pinpoint anything, and it's easier, he thinks, if he pushes it all down for the time being, gathering himself and smiling as he claps Noct on the shoulder. "C'mon," he says. "Let's go get some rest."

Noct hesitates for only a brief instant before he nods, smiles back, and lets Prompto help him to his feet.

When they get back to their room and climb quietly back into bed, holding back laughter at their rebellious rendezvous on the roof like they're still teenagers who haven't grown up, what almost occurred lingers somewhere in the back of Prompto's mind. But he finds solace in the way Noct immediately curls up with him, in their conversation still fresh in his thoughts, warmth enveloping him, pulsing in his chest with the memories of Noct's kind words, his tender smile.

Soon enough, the both of them drift off, completely wrapped up in each other.


	10. The bigger they are, the harder they fall (but you'll never fall)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY...... This took way longer to write because I suck at fight scenes and action and actually coming up with how I wanted to change the part with Titan was. A process. BUT it's finally done and way longer than I expected lmao,,, I hope you like it!!!  
> I just want to say as a side note, I've been reading all your lovely comments and thank you so much every single one of you who leaves them (and leaves kudos). You are amazing and part of the driving force that keeps me working on this fic. I'm also super sorry that I don't consistently reply to the comments.. I'm very awkward and 99% of the time I can't figure out how to reply or I feel like I'm just saying the same thing over and over which makes me hesitate to respond to your sweet comments. I'm so sorry, but please know that I appreciate them more than I can say.   
> I'll keep working on this fic so please keep supporting me ♡

In retrospect, Prompto definitely saw this coming.

The headaches, the visions, the connection to the disc of Cauthess… The Archaean. He remembers it from his dreams, from what he was shown somewhere under the stifling white. Something vague: a large figure, a meteor in the depths of a crater, and Noct in the middle of it all. And it makes sense now, that this is what it comes down to, he thinks while the group heads for the outlook in Lestallum. That isn't to say he likes it, though. He definitely doesn't.

At first, things had been mostly fine apart from Noct randomly having headaches, and those had been manageable for a while, never debilitating or too worrisome as the group lingered in Lestallum and then traveled west to explore an icy cavern where a royal tomb was located. They slowly made their way across the slippery paths and fought off far more daemons than Prompto could ever care for, but it hadn't been too hard to reach the end and enter the tomb surrounded by crystalline blue. Prompto had felt the same as he did the first time he saw Noct take in one of the royal arms, the same sting of foreboding anxiety, but with nothing to show for it, he had forced himself to let it go and instead focused on making it out of the labyrinthian cave tunnels without freezing to death afterward. Their safety comes first and foremost, and Prompto definitely doesn't ever want to think about their group left for dead in an icy tomb where no one is like to find their remains.

Thankfully it had worked, mostly in part because of Ignis' impeccable sense of direction, and the group had been rather satisfied to once again be breathing fresh air- but it was perhaps far shorter lived than Prompto could have hoped for. That was when Prompto had first sensed the shifting air around them, the inkling that had crept up suddenly and intensely, that something important was about to occur.

Noct's headache this time had come on so quickly it would have certainly bowled him over had it not been for Prompto springing right into action beside him and catching him in his arms. It also lasted far longer than any of the previous ones and Prompto had nervously clung to Noct and waited with baited breath for it to pass. A vision, it had turned out to be- something Prompto knows quite well at this point- of the meteor, the first step toward the fate given to him by the astrals. This fact alone leaves a bitter aftertaste in Prompto's mouth. Because he knows what it actually means, and why it's happening, and gods be damned, he really doesn't like it one bit. Noct shouldn't be tied to this fate, not like this.

But at least now they know they need to reach the meteor.

 

\---

 

Prompto's stomach drops when he sees who's waiting for them at the outlook, a familiar face he had silently prayed they would never see again, but of course, he had known that would be asking the impossible.

"What a coincidence," the man says, the same smarmy smile on his lips as when they first met in Galdin Quay. If Prompto were anyone else, he probably would have wanted to just step forward and punch the man in the face and avoid this interaction altogether, but being himself and feeling a wave of anxiety almost instantly, he simply moves closer to Noct, hovering in front of his friend when the man steps away from the binoculars with a flamboyant gesture.

"I'm not sure it is one." Gladio is the first to reply. His tone is flat, as he eyes the man with clear suspicion.

The man merely keeps smiling, something ominous and off putting, entirely too self pleased for his own good. Infuriating in a way. Then he starts speaking again, rambling on and on: something about nursery rhymes and the Archaean. But Prompto isn't really listening to his words as much as he is the vibrations in his skull, the rumble in the back of his mind, something separate as if the stranger is somehow infiltrating his thoughts. There are no words, nothing tangible, but Prompto feels like there are. A threat, thinly veiled, and a simple stating of fact, that this man knows much more than he's letting on and he's certainly not to be trifled with.  _ You want me on your side for now _ .  _ You need me.  _ It feels wrong, but what else can they do? 

Prompto swallows hard and wishes rather than hopes for that not to be the case, despite his growing doubts when he's able to tune back into the conversation.

"Visit the Archaean and hear his plea," the man says confidently, a smirk twisting his face into self assured mirth. "I can take you."

 

\---

 

Ardyn Izunia.

The name tastes as awful on Prompto's tongue as the man's appearance reeks of nothing but trouble, like he's a ticking time bomb just waiting for the opportune moment to go off and cause major destruction, and all Prompto can do is hope he's not around when it happens. Aside from the name and the fact that Ardyn drives a vintage car that looks to be a model that hasn't been in circulation for decades, they've learned nothing else thus far about this overly pompous stranger, despite travelling together for quite some distance. Which bothers Prompto perhaps more than it should, but who could deny that it's unsettling when Ardyn seems to know almost everything about them including things they themselves don't know yet and that courtesy isn't extended back to them? It's suspicious at best, and Prompto isn't sure he's ready to consider the less fortunate possibilities at worst.

In any other situation, Prompto would have absolutely said no to the proposition. He has standards and limits after all, and gods be damned, being around Ardyn for any longer than necessary is certain to slowly make him lose his mind. The man talks in confusing riddles sometimes and seems far too pleased with himself than he has any right to be. But they hadn't had much of a choice when it came down to it, not with the empire blocking off access to the Disc of Cauthess and posing far too large a threat to their small group of four, especially on their own.

If Ardyn can get them in, no matter how unpleasant the circumstances, they'll just have to go along with it for now. He just keep telling himself that as they follow behind Ardyn's car on the long, tedious drive to the meteor.

When they arrive, Ardyn announces himself at the gate, a loud call of, "Hello, it's me! Be so kind as to open up." It feels almost comical, Prompto thinks, sitting here knowing the empire is right around the corner, and yet they're with a man who simply asks for gates to open and expects to get his way. However contrary to Prompto's initial thoughts, and somewhat astonishingly, only mere seconds later, the entrance to the area opens up, as if on cue.

"Wow," Prompto says somewhere between shock and disbelief. "that worked?"

At that Ardyn seems even more smug, smirking as he gestures toward the gate. "I may not look like much but I do have some influence. Aren't you glad we came together?" Prompto definitely hates the fact that he can't deny there's some grain of truth to what Ardyn says, though he wouldn't agree that 'glad' is the right emotion. Not even close.

When they leave Ardyn behind at the gate, heading in for their "audience with divinity" as Ardyn called it, Prompto can't help feeling a strong sense of relief, however fleeting he's sure it will be.

They drive down the rocky path as far as it takes them and when it closes off, narrows to the point that the Regalia is now useless, they get out and continue on foot. The path snakes around a little and accompanying the rocks and dead trees are a familiar kind of ruins, ones that Prompto thinks they've seen before. The thought is shared by Ignis who murmurs his recognition. Prompto just keeps quiet while he walks, sticks close to Noct and follows his lead further and further in, struck by the sudden and indescribable urge to stay as near to Noct as he can manage. 

Their suspicions are confirmed soon when they catch sight of a small circular platform at the end of their path, most of its domed covering destroyed, and in the center, a statue of an ancestral king holding one of the royal arms. Of course there would be one here, Prompto thinks bitterly.

"Didn't expect to find a royal tomb here," Ignis says.

"Would be a shame not to grab that power," Gladio adds, looking to Noct while their group pauses. 

Noct seems to frown slightly, but he nods his head nonetheless, whatever he had been thinking not quite making it into words. "Yeah, let's get it and go."

Prompto can't help hovering right behind Noct while he steps up and summons the blade to his arsenal, blue, ephemeral light shimmering around him. Four royal arms already… and still nine more left for Noct to collect. Too many, Prompto thinks, pleased when Noct finishes and he can step closer again, moving to grab Noct's hand with his own.

That is, of course, the moment where everything goes wrong.

He doesn't make it to Noct before an enormous tremor wracks the ground, immediately knocking Prompto to his knees. It's strong, much stronger than any of the quakes they've felt thus far, and Prompto can barely find his balance, stumbling backwards when he tries to stand up. "Noct, get back! Quickly!" Ignis' voice sounds from somewhere behind them, concern, panic lacing his tone and Prompto belatedly realizes that Noct has crumpled over, clutching at his head and writhing on the stone beneath him. Another headache, at an inconvenient time like this.

But by the time it crosses Prompto's mind that he needs to grab Noct immediately and pull him back onto more stable ground, it's already too late. The platform snaps with a loud crack, the rock shattering and breaking off, and Noct plummets off the edge. Prompto's heart stops beating, his breath catching in throat, hands shaking. This can't be happening, this can't be happening, this can't- Prompto shakes himself, tries to clear his jumbled thoughts as the flames burst to life under his ribcage, and then he does the only thing he can do: he flings himself off after Noct.

It's a rough fall, the slope steep and jagged, but Prompto doesn't it let hinder him. He counters his momentum by angling his feet against the rock and staying upright, controlling his descent toward Noct, and when he finds his balance again, he dives forward just as Noct disappears over the edge at the end of the outcropping of rock beneath them. His hand shoots out and grasps Noct's, clinging so tightly that Prompto is certain nothing could make him let go of Noct in this moment. "Gotcha," he says, breathlessly, heart hammering in his chest as he puts all his strength into his arm and pulls as hard as he can.

"P-Prompto," Noct gets out. His voice is strained with the effort, shaking as much as the earthquakes, but slowly he's able to move and grab onto the rock once more, lifting while Prompto pulls until at last there's enough between them to get Noct back up on solid ground. The both of them are panting, lungs heaving while Noct collapses on the ground and Prompto squeezes his hand as comfortingly as he can manage.

And just when Prompto thought things couldn't get worse, another tremor erupts, rumbling through the area with unrelenting power. This time, the focal point seems to be at the center of the-

"Oh my gods," Prompto says.

The ground has fractured and opened up in the middle of the crater- or rather, it moved and rose up because belatedly, Prompto realizes that's not in fact the ground at all. An enormous figure surging upward, towering over them in seconds, glowing orange eyes, markings covering a human-like frame, and masses of crystal jutting out on gigantic arms and along the jawline of a sharp face that seems to glare down at them. On its back resting atop wide shoulders, the meteor sits, held up by pure strength alone. All of Prompto's visions up to this point could never have prepared him for actually seeing the Archaean in person, and he feels absolutely winded.

" _ You've come,"  _ the Archaean says.  _ "The chosen king and his guardian." _

Prompto feels like his heart is in his throat. The Archaean had certainly just spoke and yet it had seemed more like his voice had come from inside Prompto's own head, as if he had thought it instead of actually heard it. He's trembling as he draws himself closer to Noct and pulls the both of them to their feet.  _ You were expecting us, _ Prompto thinks in response.

Titan's mouth doesn't move but Prompto hears him speak again all the same, his voice rumbling like thunder in Prompto's skull. " _ The arrival of the oracle predicted the arrival of the king to receive the blessing. But the breath of this land foretold of your coming, guardian of the king. I have been waiting." _

"The Archaean…" Noct blinks up at the deity, expression a mix of shock, awe, and something else, something just under the surface waiting to break free. Frustration maybe, as Noct says quietly, "I feel like he's trying to tell me something… but what?" Prompto wants to offer some semblance of an answer, because Noct deserves to know, but he has no idea where to start and he's not even entirely sure of anything yet so he says nothing.

"Noct! Prompto!" The sudden call of their names has Prompto and Noct whirling around and glancing back up to where they had fallen and they can see both Gladio and Ignis peering down. "You guys alright?" Gladio waves, and Prompto finds himself waving back, Noct mimicking the action although with less energy.

"Thanks heavens you're safe," Ignis calls down. Prompto thinks his voice is shaking a bit but it's too hard to tell for sure, not from this far away, while so much is happening. "Is there a way back up?"

Prompto looks around, surveying their whereabouts. Nothing but rocks, and of course the sheer drop in front of them, but to their left, he notices the indication of a narrow path that probably doesn't lead back where they came but all the same, it seems like their only option. After all, it's not like they can climb back up the cliffside.

Noct seems to have noticed the path at the same time as Prompto and he gives a sweeping gesture to Ignis and Gladio. "No," he shouts. "but there's a path. We're gonna see where it leads."

"See if you can get down here," Prompto adds.

He can't see Ignis' face at this distance but he imagines Ignis is frowning when he replies. "Very well. We'll look for a way. Be careful, now."

Prompto grins sheepishly. "You too!"

And with Ignis' blessing, Noct and Prompto glance at each other, sharing a look of anxious determination as they reach for their hands again, grabbing and holding on like it's their lifeline. Their hands are sweaty, heartbeats in their palms, but neither of them is going to give up, and Prompto has no intentions of letting anything deter them. 

"C'mon," Noct says. Together, they start walking.

 

\---

 

Traversing the volcanic terrain is no simple task. The air is hot and humid, suffocating to the point that Prompto worries they'll both overheat if they linger in one spot for too long as they make their way down the path. The local wildlife is clearly on edge, as well, and more than once they have to fight off the airborne creatures that aren't so welcome to newcomers in the territory. But the two of them do their best to keep going, covering ground as quickly as they can manage. Noct seems a little worn out- understandably so considering his constant headaches on top of the events that led to their current situation, and Prompto can see his old leg injury is bothering him with the way he sometimes limps as he walks. Prompto wishes there was more he could do than just offering to let Noct lean on him for support, but Noct seems immensely grateful all the same, if the gentle smile he gives Prompto is anything to go by.

After wandering for a bit, the path drops down and it initially appears to have come to an end, until Prompto scrutinizes the nearby rocks and realizes a thin ledge continues to the right. "Over here," he says, pointing it out, and slowly he and Noct make their way over. It's far more dangerous than Prompto would like, because amy misstep could mean falling to their deaths but considering they're stuck down here with no other way out, it's not like they have a choice. They'll have to take the risk. "No room for error," he warns, taking the lead ahead of Noct this time because he reasons he has more a chance of helping Noct if he's in front.

Noct seems nervous as he falls in behind Prompto. "Let's get this over with quick."

"You got it, Buddy." Prompto really hopes they can cross this ledge with as little trouble as possible, for Noct's sake.

A pointless hope, no doubt. Halfway to the other side, a strong earthquake shakes the ground beneath them and at the same time that Prompto and Noct are clinging to the rocks for dear life, Noct grimaces and lets out a low groan. "Ugh… My head…"

"Again?" Prompto feels panic flaring up but he does his best to quell it and shifts backwards toward Noct until he can offer Noct his hand and help him get moving once more. "Let's hurry," he says urgently.

It's even harder now that Noct is barely coherent. He's just conscious enough to stay on his feet but Prompto's sure that if he weren't here keeping Noct upright, Noct would probably just tumble right over the edge. A terrifying thought. The headaches only seem to get worse as they keep going, though, until the earthquakes grow stronger once more and abruptly, the large wall of rock stretching up from the core opposite of their current location shatters, sending pebbles and debris raining down on them followed by an enormous hand. Prompto feels like his heart jumps into his throat as the hand reaches out, as if it's searching for Noct, grasping at the air until it finds him.

Noct moans and opens his eyes, his expression twisted with anger and pain as he half-shouts, half-growls out, "Hey! Titan! What's the big idea?"

"Noct…" Prompto pulls at Noct, fingers trembling, pulling him back on track. "Save it… We have to get to solid ground first."

As they resume moving, with Prompto doing his best to make sure Noct doesn't fall as they cross the ledge, keeping one hand on Noct's shoulder and the other on the wall of rock behind him while also leading them both forward and avoiding Titan's outstretched hand, Prompto can't help the thought,  _ Why are you doing this to him? _

And just as he suspected, he gets a response. " _ This is his trial, guardian _ ," Titan replies. " _ He must pass, in order to prove he is worthy of my might, as ordained in the prophecy. _ "

Prompto feels something building in his chest, bubbling up steadily, overflowing and filling the cavity like the molten lava flowing underneath the rocks. He hadn't been able to put a name to the feeling before but recognizes it now, crystal clear. Righteous indignation.  _ I don't care what you want to call it _ , he returns, anger fueling the flames around his heart. _ This is cruel and Noct doesn't deserve it. Astral or not, you can take your prophecy and shove it. _

A series of short tremors rumble through the area, nearly causing Prompto to lose his balance and belatedly, he realizes the Archaean is laughing. " _ Perhaps she was right, _ " Titan says, his words reverberating in Prompto's head. " _ A diamond in the rough… Then a test for both the king and his guardian this becomes. Prove to me your unwavering courage and faith, oh protector of the king of light." _

Prompto huffs.  _ I'll show you more than that, Titan. _

Whether by chance, or some sort of premonition, Prompto almost seems to realize what's happening next before it actually happens. On the last stretch of the ledge, the ground shakes violently once more and Noct loses his footing, sliding swiftly over the edge, but Prompto somehow swings right into action as if on cue. He maintains his balance by holding onto the branch of a tree that stretches above the ledge and puts all of his strength into the hand he had been using to hold Noct up, shifting to immediately clasp around Noct's wrist and use the motion of his fall, the forward movement, to propel Noct through the air and throw him onto the wide patch of ground at the end. The momentum drags Prompto with Noct but he uses that as well, rolling on the ground and minimizing his impact so he can get right back on his feet. Where they stand now, they're just out of reach of Titan's hand but Prompto can see the god's glowing eyes staring pointedly in their direction. Prompto glares back before he hurries over to Noct.

Noct seems fine, thankfully, his expression softening when he opens his eyes and meets Prompto's gaze, allowing Prompto to help him to his feet. "Prom…" his voice is hoarse but the note of affection is impossible to miss. "... Thanks."

There's something about the single word of gratitude stated so plainly that really gets Prompto and he feels an acute blush spreading ripe across his face, perhaps even warmer than the swimming heat in the air around him. "N-no problem, buddy. We should, uh. We should get going. Titan's waiting for us."

They head onward, sliding through a tight rocky passage and stumbling into the next area. At first, they continue in silence but Noct breaks it soon after, wiping at his brow and sighing as he follows Prompto. "You said… You said Titan is waiting for us."

Prompto glances back to see that Noct's gaze is curious, questioning. "I, uh- yeah," he replies. "I can hear him- I mean, I hear his voice in my head, I guess."

"Yeah?" That catches Noct's attention, his eyes shining as he picks up his pace and grabs Prompto's hand so they're travelling side by side. The area is somewhat walled in now, slabs of rock reaching for the sky, jagged protrusions like claws combining with branches from dead trees to create a makeshift archway of sorts that they follow through the zigzagging path. "I can hear him too, but it's all gibberish... Nothing but garbled sound." Noct sighs again, this time sounding exasperated. "It's like someone's trying to crack my skull open from the inside."

Prompto winces. "No wonder you're getting those bad headaches…"

"Yeah." Noct offers a weak smile. "But if you can understand him… What's he been saying?"

"Not much, honestly," Prompto says, squeezing Noct's hand. "He said he's testing you- or well, now he's testing the both of us. I guess I might have… I mean, that is to say, I kinda..." Thinking about saying it out loud, it sounds almost blasphemous and he feels sheepish as he admits, "I told him off?"

Noct slows to a stop, Prompto pausing beside him, and then raises an eyebrow. "You mean you talked back to an astral?"

"Well, yeah." Prompto sniffs indignantly. "What about it?"

"Why would you do something like that?" Noct asks.

Noct's probably teasing a little bit, especially because he doesn't seem angry, just amused at Prompto's antics, but Prompto can't help his serious answer when he responds. "I… I wasn't about to just stand there and accept that your suffering is necessary. He says you have to prove yourself, but… that's stupid. You don't deserve this, Noct. Not any of it."

All traces of laughter are gone and when Prompto glances over, he finds that Noct is gazing at him with a heartfelt fondness that permeates every inch of his expression, from the crease of his brow, to the glow in his eyes, to the way he licks his lips and then lets out a small sigh, punctuated by the steady beat of his heart that Prompto feels in his fingertips. "Thank you, Prom," he says quietly, full of sincerity. "I mean it. I don't think I would made it this far if it weren't for you, and well… You're probably the first person to stick up for me on this. So… thanks."

"... Y-yeah. Anything for you," Prompto replies, heart pounding. His voice comes out more breathless than he expects, and he feels a little light headed, a little winded, clinging to Noct's hand as they resume walking. The heat in his face definitely isn't just from the humid air, that's for certain.

As they round a bend in the path, Noct's phone rings and they pause so he can answer it, relief dancing across his features when he sees the caller ID and presses the device to his ear. "Ignis."

Prompto can just make out the sound of Ignis' voice across the line, though it's clear the signal is far from great down in the crater because the crackling is just as loud as Ignis, and he cuts in and out as he speaks. "Good, you're safe. Gladio and I have not yet made it down but listen. Imperial troops are near-" abruptly, the call cuts out.

Noct sighs and pockets his phone again. "Imperial company. Just what we need."

"I know, right?" Prompto rolls his eyes and laughs lightly. "But we'll be fine. I promise."

"Yeah," Noct nods, giving back half a smile. "No big deal."

The path opens up at the end and overlooks the rest of the crater, giving them a clear view of the MTs waiting for them at the edge, as well as Titan's form leering over them, the entire area darkened by his imposing shadow. "We're finally here," Prompto breathes out, gazing up at Titan and then following Noctis toward the MTs, pulling out his gun as they draw closer.

"Yeah." Noct's blade's already in his hands, eyes narrowed as he takes aim. "Let's get this over with."

Whether by some serendipitous courtesy on Titan's part or purely by chance, the two of them are able to dispose of the MTs before Titan makes any kind of move that would interrupt or otherwise inhibit them, the astral simply watching them fight until they finish and Noct steps up to the edge of the cliff. They just seem to stare at each other for a few moments, Noct somehow looking both small and yet so much bigger in front of the towering figure of the Archaean, and Prompto feels the tension in the air, palpable, heavy, weighing them both down. At last, Noct swallows, expression hardening.

"Hey," he shouts out, voice echoing around the space ominously. "I'm here."

All at once, everything is shaking, vibrating, the ground quaking even more violently than before, and Noct's keeling over, clutching at his head in pain. Prompto immediately springs to his side, and even his fingers are trembling as he holds tightly to Noct, keeping him upright while the low rumble of Titan's voice fills up every corner of both of their minds.

_ "The time has come, chosen king. Whether by prophecy or by your own volition, the fate of this world and all its inhabitants will soon rest on your shoulders. Having made it thus far, you and your guardian shall now prove to me your unwavering resolve and your unparalleled strength." _

"What the hell is he saying?" Noct groans out, putting more and more of his weight on Prompto as Titan continues, and all Prompto can do is steady his grip and try to keep them both from falling over the edge. Before Prompto has the chance to even try to summarize Titan's speech, Noct addresses Titan directly, "Quit screwing with my head!"

" _ The trial begins _ ," Titan finishes. And Prompto realizes his stabilizing efforts were for nothing when he watches the Archaean's giant fist swing down, aiming right toward them.

"You gotta be kidding me," Noct snarls.

In one fell swoop, Titan decimates the ground beneath them and they're both falling, plummeting down toward the very bottom of the crater, the heated air searing past while Prompto tries to catch his breath and also not lose his mind. Noct seems to gather himself first because suddenly, he grabs tightly onto Prompto and then his blade is in his hand and he's thrown it down, immediately pulling Prompto with him as he warps to the rocks beneath them. The sensation of warping is strange enough on its own, but warping with Noct is something else entirely, like he's clipping through time and space and just for an instant, his body feels like it's connected to Noct's, wholly and entirely, however briefly it lasts. When they land, Prompto stumbles and needs another second to steady himself, his mind reeling a bit while he pulls himself out of the moment. "Sorry," Noct says, shaking a little as he releases Prompto and readies himself for the fight. "I should have warned you before warping."

"No, i-it's fine, it was totally fine," Prompto quickly counters, feeling his cheeks flush ever so slightly, despite their circumstances. There's a lot more he wants to say, maybe too much, but he doesn't get the chance because before he can even open his mouth again, he spots the Archaean's monstrous foot lifting up above them hovering overhead, coming closer and closer- and yeah, it definitely feels like his heart is in his throat. "Fight now, talk later," he manages to shout, whipping out a set of daggers instead of his usual gun.

Just in time, Prompto thrusts up the daggers and blocks Titan's blow. The shockwave it sends through his arms and outward into the rest of his limbs is painfully powerful, almost overwhelming, but Prompto doesn't let himself give in. He grits his teeth, holds his ground and waits, and when the time is right, he sends Titan back using all his strength. No sooner has he parried the attack does Noct shoot forward in a glittering lightning streak of blue, his sword slashing at the stone-like skin of the Archaean's foot in retaliation. He lands several worthwhile hits and then leaps back to put more distance between himself and the astral.

"C'mon," Noct yells once he's back on the ground, gesturing for Prompto to follow him. They can both see that Titan's lifting his foot once more so they know they have precious little time. "We need to get to higher ground!"

Prompto scans the area as fast as he can and finds a path to their right that seems to lead up, hopefully to a more advantageous area for battle. "That way!" He points and Noct nods and leads the way as they both break into a run, just narrowly avoiding being stepped on again. 

They're not out of the danger zone, though- not by a long shot. As they make their way up, Titan seems to be doing everything he can to inhibit them, grabbing for them with his large hands and destroying the path behind them; but they finally make it up to a higher ledge, one that stretches out and measures at around the Archaean's waist. At least they won't be trampled from up here. Prompto is running on pure adrenaline at this point, fire flowing through his veins as he warps down with Noct and immediately whips out his daggers again.

This time when he blocks Titan, the astral's fist colliding solidly with his blades, he barely feels the impact. He channels the flames from his heart into his fingertips, heat guiding him and swimming into his limbs, and uses that energy to push back, to send Titan's hand flying backward into the air. Again, Noct follows up the counter immediately, as if the two of them have been doing this forever and know exactly how to work off each other, throwing his blade and warping right into the Archaean's knuckles. The force of the strike is enough to break Titan's onslaught and he collapses forward, his arm crashing into the ground in front of Noct and Prompto. But the recoil also sends Noct hurtling down toward the rocks. Prompto reacts without even having to think: in the blink of an eye, he's warped forward, outstretched arms catching Noct with ease before he makes contact, his heartbeat a whirlwind engulfing his chest.

"Great catch," Noct gets out, breathing ragged, body limp in Prompto's arms.

"It's nothing," Prompto replies. He digs his fingertips into Noct's shoulders to ground both of them, to bring Noct back to the moment, and the warmth he feels in his palms from Noct's body heat keeps him as close to sane as he can be currently. They glance at each other, a shared meaningful look shining in Noct's eyes- reflected in Prompto's- that gets across more than any words possibly could, and then in less than a second, Noct's back on his feet, no hesitation, ready to rush in with Prompto again. Prompto follows suit without wavering.

Like some kind of artistic dance, like the two of them are partners who've practiced their routine their whole lives and can read each other's movements without communicating verbally, they bounce around each other and lay strike after strike on Titan's arm, so in sync that if someone didn't know better, they might see the combined assault and think the two of them were one person. And it's exhilarating for more than one reason: because Titan is a god and the two of them, mere mortals, are still holding their own; because they currently aren't even at their peak after all the struggles leading up to this clash and yet they're pressing on regardless, fearless and determined and barely letting the exhaustion get to them; because he knows they're not alone, that imperial troopers are arriving on the scene and launching their own attack of some kind against the Archaean, and they could very easily get in the way and disrupt or inconvenience the duo in their trial with Titan, but somehow none of that matters. Not when he's fighting alongside Noct, not when he's never felt more ready for a battle in his life. Astrals be damned, Niffs be damned- this is Prompto and Noct's time to shine. They don't back off until Titan regains his balance and pulls his arm back into the air.

"Noct! Prompto!"

The sound of their names barely registers in the front of his mind but after a few seconds, Prompto is able to finally tear his gaze away from the Archaean to spot Gladio and Ignis rejoining them, their friends immediately leaping into the fray with them.

"Did you miss us?" Gladio asks, readily thrusting his broadsword in front of himself just in time to avoid getting hit by Titan's hand.

"Apologies for not arriving sooner," Ignis adds. Right away, he tosses an elixir to both Noct and Prompto, and Prompto feels gratitude flooding him instantly as he makes use of the curative. The healing magic seeps into every inch of his sore body and with it a renewed vigor to bring forth a dramatic finale to this ridiculous trial steadily drifts to the surface.

"Glad you guys made it," he says, voice a little rough, a little frantic, but a lot pleased by the development. He's glad to know Ignis and Gladio had fared alright despite having to navigate their way down, especially enough to get back to fighting immediately.

"Sure took your sweet time getting here," Noct says when he backs away to catch his breath, the words snide but giving way to an evident relief that makes both Ignis and Gladio smile, however briefly.

"We could have taken longer," Gladio teases.

"Nah, no way," Noct drawls, eyes narrowed. "Specs would never let you get away with it."

"You give me too much credit, Noct," Ignis counters smugly. He laughs when Noct shoots him a pointed look, probably because Noct was right and they all know it, and then he positions himself beside Noct, ready to aid in the combat effort.

Another parry and another flurry of attacks. 

It's nice to have Ignis and Gladio there to help because the added manpower makes them much more formidable, and it definitely makes Prompto feel more confident- with safety in numbers, or however the saying goes- but there's still something off, something they're missing. It seems like it's just not enough, Prompto thinks wryly. They're not really making notable progress, despite their best attempts. For as satisfying as it is to slowly chip away at Titan, they really need something that will bring him to his knees, something that will force him to surrender and concede that Noct is good enough, and that Prompto isn't wrong in protecting him. A definitive conclusion. Something big… 

Prompto's gaze flits around the area, taking in everything from the rocky terrain and the lines of imperial troopers, to Titan's massive, towering figure and the colossal meteor that rests atop his shoulders. There has to be something here they can use to their advantage, that even Titan couldn't see coming...

Wait. The meteor-

Suddenly Prompto gasps, an electric shock seeming to zap right from his head to his heart and hard start his system. He whips around wildly to lock eyes with Noct, questioning, probing, his heartbeat like wildfire while he looks for the answer to his unspoken inquiry.

And apparently, just as he had hoped, Noct has the same thought at the exact same time. "Are you thinking-"

"Definitely."

"If we can-"

"Yeah! If you- and if I-"

"It's perfect!"

"Um. What the hell was that?" Gladio asks, confusion clear in his sharp tone.

"An almost wordless conversation," Ignis replies, entirely amused at the exchange. Perhaps he's already figured out their plan as well, Prompto definitely wouldn't put it past him, but he doesn't have time to linger on it because he's already plotting the path he's going to take up, already figuring out how they're going to pull this off.

Noct seems equally as excited, his eyes shining as he looks to their friends for help. "Ignis, Gladio," he instructs, pointing toward Titan's free roaming hand. "Keep him off us."

"Understood." Ignis glances between the astral and Noct and then gives Noct a nod. Yeah, he knows for certain. Prompto's a bit relieved of that, because he doesn't have the time or patience to explain it. "Be careful."

"We will," Prompto promises, even though he's quite sure that nothing could stop him and Noct at this point. They're going to emerge from this trial successful with Titan's blessing whether the astral is ready or not.

A silent countdown plays out in Prompto's mind, the seconds ticking down to zero. Three, two, one… and then he and Noct are off in the blink of an eye, warping up the rocks in small bursts. Even this far apart, they're still practically moving in sync, illuminated blue flashes trailing behind them while they head higher and higher, reaching for the sky. Prompto doesn't even have the chance to wonder whether or not this is going to work because it's going to; he feels it in his bones, in the adrenaline pumping through his system, in each warp that carries him closer and closer to the meteor.

Ignis and Gladio are pulling their weight too, their combined efforts keeping Titan's attention elsewhere, even if only momentarily. It doesn't take long for the Archaean to catch on, or at least for him to realize that Noct and Prompto are on the move and for the briefest of moments, Prompto can see him beginning to raise his hand to stop them. But Ignis is having none of that, it seems. Prompto pauses only for an instant and in that time sees Ignis whip out a small elemental ball and then in a flash of glittering blue and white, Titan's hand is completely frozen in place, solidly encased in a thick layer of ice.  _ Genius _ , Prompto thinks, jumping right back into action. Just a bit farther and he'll be right where he needs to be.

He warps, and then warps again, and at last he's at the highest possible peak, with an ideal angle right up to and above Titan's head. He spots Noct across from him, slightly lower on an outcropping that gives him absolutely perfect positioning for his part of their plan, and he glances over and meets Prompto's gaze, seeking confirmation. They don't need to speak or gesture, they don't even need to think about it because they just know. Another countdown, this time on three.

At zero, the both of them warp upward at Titan. The effect is simultaneous: Noct flies forward and collides with Titan's hand, the one that's holding up the meteor atop the astral's shoulders, and at the exact same time, Prompto flings himself up right at the meteor. He focuses all of his strength in this blow, the fire crackling at his fingertips as he tightens his hold on his daggers, and when he crashes into the meteor, a loud boom echoes around the crater, shaking Prompto to his very core. He feels it through his entire body, and the recoil almost immediately sends him plummeting down but he achieved exactly what he had hoped. He watches the enormous rock shift at the impact from his strike, lifting off Titan's shoulders while Titan loses his grip, Noct's attack sending his hand sailing backward and out from underneath the meteor.

The next few seconds are a blur and yet they seem to happen in slow motion, as if the world suddenly can't keep up with what's occurring and Prompto's somewhere in the middle of it all. He's falling still, but then he's not and Noct has caught him, his arms tightly wrapped around Prompto's limp body as he warps down to the ground below, landing just so that he can soften the brunt of the fall and also keep Prompto safe. And then the meteor is plunging down and with no more support, nothing keeping it upright any longer, it has no choice but to crush the figure beneath it, bringing Titan down with it. With the weight of the meteor and no way to catch himself and stay on his feet, the astral falls to his knees and the upper half of his body clatters to the ground where Noct, Prompto, Ignis and Gladio are standing, which both shatters his hand which had previously been frozen in ice and sends a tremendous shockwave through the area that knocks Noctis over and rattles right through Prompto's bones, reverberates inside his skull and scrambles his brain like it's jello inside his head.

Finally, everything falls quiet. 

Prompto doesn't move immediately and neither does Noct, the both of them still reeling, glancing between each other, over to where Ignis and Gladio are positioned, and then to the toppled body of Titan in front of them, so close that he and the meteor combined block out most of the sky. "Is… is that it? Did we succeed?" Noct breathes out heavily.

Prompto doesn't have an answer yet, not in the jumbled mess that's currently his thoughts. All he can do is take a few deep breaths of his own and wait.

It takes another several seconds, the air still settling around them, but at last Titan moves and lifts himself, bringing his hand up once more to raise the meteor off his back. He makes no attempt to continue the fight once he's upright again, instead resuming his stationary position with the meteor back in place on his shoulders, and he almost seems to be smiling down on them, his towering presence far less threatening than before. Somehow the sight fills Prompto with a sense of calm he hadn't expected.

" _ Impressive. _ " The voice nearly catches Prompto by surprise- probably would have knocked him over had he been standing on his feet-  and the deep rumble vibrates in his head when Titan speaks to him. Though this time, it seems he's only reaching out to Prompto because Noct doesn't react at all past shifting closer to Prompto on instinct. " _ She was not wrong. _ "

_She?_ _Who do you mean?_ Prompto thinks curiously, though his question goes unanswered.

" _ Prompto, Argentum, _ " Titan says. _ "Guardian angel to the king, and chosen protector of the will of Eos. You are the one who will put an end to this, of that I am certain. The blessing of the Archaean goes with you both. _ "

Titan begins to glow, gold spreading throughout his tremendous figure, the light encasing him and swirling outward toward Noct, surrounding him and illuminating him beside Prompto. The blessing, Prompto thinks, suddenly feeling an immense warmth emanating from his best friend while the Archaean forges his covenant, a warmth that subsequently swims into Prompto's bloodstream directly afterward, and blends into the flames around his heart.

A final message echoes in Prompto's head, one that he doesn't think Titan actually said but was conveyed through their brief connection regardless. " _ I lend my aid to the guardian. The king will not fall while I still stand." _ His words make Prompto feel overwhelmed, gratitude and relief as well as determination swelling in his chest and bubbling over, filling up every inch of his body.

It seems the astral also gave Noct a message, though as a vision instead of in words. "Luna…" Noct says suddenly, gazing up at Titan's fading form. "You spoke with her?" There's a look of understanding in his eyes when Prompto glances over, features softening as he realizes what Titan had been trying to tell him. Luna must have come to the crater first, in order to awaken Titan and make all of this possible. "So that's why…"

The golden light expands, to the point that Titan's entire body is nothing but gold, glittering and shimmering, and the ground begins to tremble again, tremors growing stronger and stronger. " _ The oracle awaits, _ " Titan says.

And with that, the Archaean explodes in a blinding flash.


	11. And I won't be led astray

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess an update every 2 months is becoming the reg, huh. Sorry about that,,, I think this chapter would have come sooner but I lost most of my confidence after getting rejected from a zine that I reeeallly wanted to be a part of so I struggled a lot for a while to find the will to write again. Thankfully I didn't give up though. This was originally going to be a longer chapter but I decided that since the last chapter was so long, it was alright to put up a shorter one. And a certain someone makes their first appearance... Who do you think it is? (winking emoji)  
> Also, thank you to everyone who is still leaving comments. I realize I haven't done a good job of keeping up with replying but I'm definitely going to try from now on. So please keep supporting me, if it's not too much trouble.

Imperial chancellor.

Prompto couldn't have seen that one coming if he'd tried, and he still finds it hard to believe even with Ignis' words ringing in his ears and Ardyn's immediate confirmation on the subject, his smug expression revealing how pleased he is to have finally divulged his real identity before letting their group on board. Even though it has been at least five minutes since they had climbed into the magitek ship and it had taken off away from the crater, Prompto doesn't find himself anywhere closer to comprehending that fact. How a pompous, arrogant, smarmy man such as Ardyn could come to hold such a high position is positively beyond him, but he would be even more surprised if he were to learn that some kind of foul play wasn't involved. The kind of foul play that probably results in murder, or at least torture in some form. Ardyn just rings all kinds of warning bells in Prompto's head; he's nothing but bad news and his offers to help thus far are definitely self-serving, of that Prompto is certain.

And of course the ride is just as awkward and uncomfortable as Prompto had expected.

There's something about being in Ardyn's presence that absolutely sets him on edge, like he's just waiting for something to go wrong and the likelihood of that happening rises with each passing second. Maybe nothing will come of it, but the feeling alone is enough to make Prompto pray for them to reach their destination sooner rather than later. Though that might be asking the impossible with the way Ardyn seems to be purposefully prolonging their flight so he can make them suffer

"What will you do with us now?" Ignis asks after another minute, unable to leave the silence as is.

Ardyn just smiles back, false cordiality practically radiating off of him. "Why, grant you safe passage, just as I said." Prompto rolls his eyes.

"Pretty generous for an imperial." He hadn't meant to say it, only intended to think it to himself where there are no consequences for poor choices, but the words tumble out of their own accord. Harsh maybe, but Prompto can't help it.

"Come now," Ardyn replies. He's still smiling but there's nothing warm or friendly about it, his eyes narrowed, gaze pointed. "Is it fair... to begrudge a man the circumstances of his birth?"

Ardyn isn't talking about himself.

It's intuition more than anything else- Prompto feels a sharp, almost painful shiver ripple through his spine, the weight of Ardyn's words leaving a bitter aftertaste in his mouth, a lingering uneasiness. It's implicit, because Ardyn hasn't specified anything, no subject and no context, but Prompto still feels the hidden meaning as if Ardyn has stated outright that his words were not meant to be taken at face value. He's hinting at something, a well disguised fact that he isn't sharing and that Prompto isn't close to grasping just yet, and that's exactly what Ardyn wants. He wants to unsettle Prompto with this undisclosed knowledge, wants Prompto to know that he knows, and that whatever he knows is important. Dangerous.

It takes him several moments as he glares back at Ardyn and tries to gather his thoughts to finally get himself to speak again. "No, I guess not," he says flatly. As civil as he's going to get.

Noct is worried about Prompto, evident in the way he shifts closer to Prompto, in the way he grabs onto Prompto's hand and squeezes lightly. He won't press it though, because he knows Prompto too well and he knows Prompto wouldn't have an answer for him. So Prompto squeezes back and tries not to lose his mind.

In reality, he's pretty sure that Noct is the only thing keeping him grounded up here in the air.

Another minute passes. Gladio and Ignis are now whispering quietly to each other but Prompto is only half listening while the time stretches on. "So what do we do once he drops us off?" he hears Gladio ask.

"Go retrieve the Regalia, I suppose," Ignis responds solemnly. "We can't leave her unattended for long."

Their car, huh. It's a bit wishful thinking, isn't it? To think they can leave Ardyn and his magitek ship behind and have the old girl just handed to them on a silver platter, no strings attached? They can hardly expect things to go that smoothly, no. Not with how secretive and ambiguous Ardyn has been, not when they know the empire is involved. Really, Prompto almost has to wonder if they'll ever see the Regalia again at this point.

"Want this godsdamned ride to be over already," Noct mutters, leaning against Prompto with all his weight.

"You and me both, buddy," Prompto sighs.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Ardyn's ship begins to descend slowly until the door abruptly flips open and they realize their at ground level. Their small group hesitates at first until Ignis makes the first move, inching toward the door to make out their surroundings and ascertain just where Ardyn is dropping them off. But Prompto doesn't need to see to know where they are: he can tell based on smell alone that they're at Wiz's Chocobo farm. Yeah, that definitely shouldn't have been a fifteen minute trip, Prompto thinks mutinously.

As they hurriedly begin to clamber out of the ship in their eagerness to escape Ardyn's overbearing presence, Ardyn apparently can't let them go without one more pretentious comment. "Here's hoping you find that car of yours," he says smugly, knowingly. If they had needed proof that the Regalia was conveniently claimed as an imperial hostage, this basically confirms it for them. No one bothers responding though, and Ignis rolls his eyes before exiting, followed immediately by Gladio who huffs and leaves with as much haste as he can manage. Noct's third because Prompto lets him down first but before Prompto can make his own descent off the ship, Ardyn says something more, apparently unsatisfied with his final unnecessary sentiment about their car. However, this… This is specifically meant for Prompto, not for the others. Another warning, Prompto senses, venom hidden behind false pleasantries, the fake smile on Ardyn's face both obvious and unsettling.

"Sometimes it's best to leave things as they are, you know," Ardyn says pointedly, the vague threat in his words barely muted by his jovial tone. "After all, who knows what the consequences might be."

A challenge. Two can play at that. "Or maybe it's better to take action. Better to die trying than to not have tried at all," Prompto counters, familiar, fiery waves engulfing his chest instantly. What would Ardyn know anyway? Prompto can't and won't let anyone stand in his way, whether it comes down to protecting Noct, telling off the astrals, or anything else. 

He doesn't wait for Ardyn to follow up with a response before he hops down off the magitek ship and leaves the imperial chancellor behind. He has more pressing things to think about right now. 

Like finding their car. And chocobos.

 

\---

 

With night inching closer, the group has no choice but to hold off on searching for their beloved automobile. Instead they wind up staying at the Chocobo post for the night, the four of them crammed into the caravan after a brief dinner and a short visit with the chocobos at Prompto's request. And it's not like Prompto totally minds sleeping in the caravan, not with how close it allows him to be to Noct as he drifts off to sleep, sharing the same bed, their limbs tangled together, heartbeats in sync.

He falls asleep quickly to the sound of Noct's gentle snores.

That night, Prompto dreams. Except it's not the dream he's grown used to, not the one he's come to expect. It's lacking the familiar warmth of white that would usually surround him, missing the note of comfort that the same soft voice brings with her when she speaks to Prompto. No, this is different, unsettling. It feels like the walls around Prompro are closing in slowly but he has no escape, like the air is trapped between his lungs and his throat and he can't quite catch his breath. Everything is dark, swirling black consuming everything until Prompto can't even find himself under the shadows.

And then a voice echoes out. 

" _ To the one who has decided he is above the strings of fate, the one who challenges the prophecy that binds this land and its people, all for his selfish whims. Should you continue on this path, you shall soon face the wrath of the gods _ ." Nothing but metallic cold, biting words cutting at Prompto's skin and filling him with a dull sense of panic. " _ The fate of this world was decided long before your time and it cannot be changed, nor can the King's destiny shift, in order to save Eos and its inhabitants. You are no guardian angel. You are a fool, a meddler who risks the deaths of all for the death of one." _

Prompto swallows his fear and somehow manages to speak, voice surprisingly even and crystal clear in the dark. "Who are you?" he asks.

The voice seems displeased by his question. " _ It matters not. I have merely come to ensure that the false prophet understands his position."  _ The tone is sharp and pointed, like shards of glass against Prompto's skin and he feels heavy, like he's being crushed under the weight of something he can't see. " _ Cease your rebellion at once and resign yourself to that over which you have no control. You cannot save your king. _ "

But Prompto can see Noct in the back of his mind underneath his eyelids, smiling brighter than the sun, laughing, arms open and eyes sparkling. He doesn't falter for even a moment. He pushes the fear down and uses it as fuel for his fire, for the embers blazing in his heart.

The dark seems far less intimidating when he speaks again. "Are you so sure? You took the time to come all the way down here and threaten me. Don't you think that proves the opposite of what you're trying to sell?" Prompto almost wants to laugh, but he holds it back behind a smile, an automatic response to the dawning realization that what he's saying is true. "If the king's fate really was as set in stone as you claim it is, you wouldn't be here, now would you? ...So no," he says, determination emanating from his words. "I won't stop. I'll save him and I'll prove to you that you're wrong."

A hiss fills the darkness around Prompto, like the rush of air being released from a balloon. "...  _ Impudent, _ " the voice says. " _ You will come to regret your choice in time."  _

And then all at once the darkness seems to evaporate, as if it has been sucked into a vacuum, and Prompto opens his eyes to the ceiling of the dull caravan. His mind is reeling a bit, full of unasked questions that he couldn't possibly have the answer to just yet, and he feels shaken, a sensation that reminds him of when Titan first spoke to him. Perhaps that dream was celestial in origin… A threat, sure. Carefully chosen words meant to deter Prompto and change his mind. But that entity, whether Astral or otherwise, is certainly underestimating Prompto's conviction, the flames that have claimed Prompto's chest as their home. Nothing will keep Prompto from protecting Noct.

And it's easy now with the dream behind him- with Noct's arms draped over his waist, Noct's cheek resting softly on his shoulder, the warmth emanating from him grounding Prompto and reminding him of what really matters most- for him to trust in that strength. No matter what comes their way, Prompto knows he'll do whatever it takes so that this feeling never comes to an end. So that he and Noct will never have to part. So that Noct can stop worrying, can keep smiling and keep living.

As he snuggles back up with Noct and sleep creeps back over him, he has the foggy, satisfying thought that he's getting pretty good at talking back to the gods.


	12. You got to get up, you got to be running wild (because it's a good morning)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, back when I started this chapter: this will be a nice short chapter  
> Me, now, looking at the 4k words this turned into: Welp,
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Just some wholesome conversation in the meantime. Trial number two coming soon. :)

****T he following morning plays out strangely, almost like something out of a dream. Prompto wakes up first for some reason, the sun having just barely climbed over the horizon, and when he shifts and opens his eyes, he can see that even Ignis, usually the early riser, is still slumbering beside Gladio. He can feel Noct's arms around his waist and on any other day, he would probably cuddle closer to his friend and allow himself to drift back off without hesitation. So he's not entirely sure why he doesn't, or why he feels compelled to get up and leave the caravan but he does so, carefully removing Noct's hold on him, sliding out of bed, and opening and closing the door of the caravan as quietly as possible. 

The morning air has a chilly bite to it that nips at Prompto's ears and nose, dusting a shiver along his spine while he stretches and surveys his surroundings. Everything's the same as the night before: the smell of chocobos, the comforting sight of yellow feathers and occasional squawks from the big birds in their pens. Everything except-

"Umbra!" Prompto is both confused and oddly excited when he spots the dog standing on the gravelly path several feet away, tail wagging back and forth. He barks when he sees Prompto has noticed him and then abruptly turns around and begins to pad off as if he expects Prompto to follow right behind, so Prompto does, breaking into a jog in order to catch up. He finds himself wondering if this is why he instinctively woke up early this morning, a premonition of sorts.

Umbra leads him past the chocobos, past Wiz's small outdoor restaurant and past the vendor selling curatives and ingredients, onto the grass coated in a light mist of dew drops on the opposite side of the outpost. When the dog stops and sits down, Prompto stops walking as well but there's no immediately obvious evidence as to the dog's intentions. He knows it's not like he could expect an animal to be capable of speech but he regardless finds himself wishing Umbra had some way to communicate with him so he could have some idea of why he brought Prompto to this spot.

But then again, maybe the dog doesn't need words.

"What a surprise. It is not the Chosen King but the Guardian Angel brought henceforth by the eager messenger."

At the sudden voice, Prompto abruptly whirls around, heart pounding wildly in his chest. He spots an unfamiliar figure standing just behind Umbra where there definitely had not been anyone present previously, and she has a mysterious aura to her, an air of intrigue that makes Prompto stand up a bit straighter. Dressed all in black, her dark hair delicately frames her face and though she speaks as if she can see Prompto clearly before her, her eyes remain closed, eyelashes fluttering softly as a small smile graces her lips.

"Who… are you?" Prompto asks.

His question isn't met with an answer. "I have looked forward to our meeting, oh Guardian of the King," the figure says instead, bowing her head to him in greeting. "Word travels fast among the celestial and the Archaean hesitated not in sharing the tale of your fateful encounter."

Celestial, Prompto repeats in his mind, trying to piece the puzzle together on his own. "So you're... a messenger..?"

The figure smiles again, and it's as much of an answer as Prompto thinks he's going to get on the matter at this point. Then she gestures back the way Prompto came. "Return and awaken the King from his slumber. There is much to discuss."

"Awaken..?" Prompto blinks between the figure and then back to the caravan, and then he nods belatedly, as if it's only just dawned on him what she has asked him to do. "Oh! Yeah, sure. Hold on, I'll go get Noct up." Uncertain on if there's any proper etiquette for this kind of situation, Prompto just gives her a small bow and then he turns around and hurries back to the caravan.

As he steps inside, he sees Ignis is in the midst of his morning routine, a mug of coffee in one hand and a daily newspaper in the other, and Gladio is sitting upright on the opposite bed, yawning and stretching as he throws his legs over the side and moves to get up. A very domestic scene that Prompto easily slides into with his return to the caravan. They both offer small waves when they spot Prompto, and Prompto waves back before he heads over to where Noct's still asleep in their bed. He sits down beside Noct and gently places a hand on Noct's shoulder, shaking him lightly and leaning in so he can nuzzle Noct's cheek with his nose. "C'mon, buddy, time to get up," he says warmly, laughing when Noct groans but predictably doesn't move.

He says something that's nothing but a mumble, something that would probably sound like gibberish to anyone else, but to Prompto's trained ear, is clearly something along the lines of, "Don't wanna."

"I know you don't want to," he says. Amusement makes him feel even more fond and he can't stop himself from brushing his fingers through Noct's hair. "But you kinda don't have a choice. We've got visitors. Umbra, and a lady I didn't recognize are waiting for you outside."

That seems to get Noct's attention, as well as Gladio and Ignis, who pause their activities to glance over at Prompto and Noct. "A lady?" Noct sits up abruptly as if he hadn't just been dead asleep or unwilling to climb out of the warmth of the blankets for anything.

Prompto laughs a little at that. "Yeah. I've never seen her before so I have no idea who she is. But we probably shouldn't keep her waiting, right, buddy?"

"No, we most certainly should not," Ignis chimes in. He's already finished his coffee in the few seconds Prompto had looked away from him and he seems eager to investigate.

Noct is quiet for only a second more before he sighs and slowly gets out of bed, features pulling into a grimace with the effort. "Fine, fine," he grumbles around a yawn. "Let's hurry up and get going then."

Prompto grins at him. "Of course."

The four of them hurry to clean themselves up, have a quick breakfast, and then leave the caravan behind, Prompto guiding them across the area the same way Umbra had shown him earlier. When they approach the grassy spot surrounded by trees, the same woman from before is still standing there, waiting, calmness positively radiating off her. But when Noct sees her, he almost seems to deflate.

"Gentiana," he says a bit flatly. Someone Noct knows, Prompto notes, though clearly not who he was hoping for when he first imagined their guest.

The woman- Gentiana- smiles, despite the lackluster greeting, quite like she had foreseen this reaction. "Expecting another, were you?" And she appears to be able to read him like an open book, which Prompto might admit isn't always a hard task, but Noct bites his bottom lip, his brow furrowing.

"Maybe," he replies stiffly. There's a distinct note to his voice that Prompto recognizes, when he doesn't want to admit to something and tries to stifle it behind indifference.

However, perhaps to everyone's surprise, Gentiana doesn't leave it at that, her next words confusing and purposefully roundabout.

"Worry not," Gentiana tells him with a light laugh. "The one you seek is well. Though, I suppose the Oracle can convey as much to you herself."

Prompto watches Noct's eyes widen. "What do you mean-?" he starts to ask, but before he can finish, a second woman abruptly approaches from behind the trees. Prompto hadn't noticed her the first time but he also couldn't have known to look for her so he can't necessarily fault himself. She has blond hair pulled back and braided into a ponytail, and striking blue eyes, a soft smile dancing on pretty lips when she stops in front of Noctis, exuding an aura of kindness that seems to brighten up the very air around her.

"Luna?!" Noct gasps. 

Prompto almost chokes on his own spit. 

 

\---

 

It takes a little while for their small group to regain their composure. Lunafreya's appearance had completely unbalanced them. Noct had gotten flustered, which in turn had flustered Prompto, and then Ignis and Gladio were laughing and Lunefreya was laughing, and everyone was laughing. A mess of a first meeting with the Oracle. Even now that things have quieted, Prompto still finds himself somewhat nervous in Lunafreya's presence, a bit awed like a child seeing the moon in the sky for the first time. She has such a dignified grace to her, an indescribable beauty and inner strength that commands respect from those who see her, that it would be impossible not to be intimidated by her. Even as she gives them a gentle smile, their group of five now seated between two tables at Wiz's restaurant with Gentiana standing behind Lunafreya's chair, Prompto can't help but feel shy.

"It truly is wonderful to see you again, Noctis," Lunafreya says, expression soft while she glances from Noct to Prompto, and then Ignis to Gladio. "And I'm so glad to finally meet your friends. This is like a dream come true."

"Sure feels like a dream," Noct replies. He looks a mixture of happy, relieved, and overwhelmed, and Prompto knows his friend well, knows there are probably a million and one thoughts racing through his mind right now and he can't help himself as he shifts in his seat, subconsciously reaching for Noct's hand. He feels a little better with Noct's fingers laced between his own, and hopes his warmth will bring some calm to Noct's harried thoughts. "I was really worried after that radio broadcast, but Iris told me there were rumors you were alive, and then Titan showed me that you were there-"

"Oh yes, the Archaean!" Lunafreya interrupts, her tone apologetic as her smile turns somewhat sheepish. "I wish I could have told you more but there was no way I could have found you ahead of time to explain everything. I do hope he was not too rough on you, though."

"He was…. a handful," Ignis informs her. "But thankfully nothing our ragtag group couldn't handle."

"Yeah, we took him down a peg or two," Gladio says smugly.

"Prom really stole the show, though. You should have seen him, Luna," Noct adds, squeezing Prompto's hand, bumping his shoulder against Prompto's. The action, along with Lunafreya's attention suddenly directly focused on him seems to jumpstart Prompto's heart and he finds it a little hard to breathe while heat floods his cheeks.

"Is that so?" Lunafreya says, her eyes shining. "I would have loved to see him in action."

"I-I didn't do much, really," Prompto mumbles, attempting to hide his face against Noct's shoulder. He feels Noct laughing, the vibrations from Noct's chest traveling through his fingertips, up his arm, and fluttering around his ribcage.

"C'mon, dude," Noct says sincerely, even despite his continued laughter. "Without you, I probably would have died, so that definitely counts for something." Prompto only feels more bashful, and he's pretty sure the tips of his ears are red now too.

"Thank you, Prompto." Lunafreya's voice is what gets Prompto to move a little bit and look back up, the genuine gratitude in her eyes somewhat surprising him out of his hiding place. "Thank you for protecting Noctis. He's very lucky to have you."

He swallows his embarrassment and offers her a small grin, his grip on Noct's hand tightening. "N-no problem. I'll always be here to keep him out of trouble, whether he wants me to or not."

"Hey, what makes you think I wouldn't want you to?" Noct narrows his eyes and now it's Prompto's turn to laugh, a bit of the tension finally leaving his shoulders and letting him relax. A little longer like this and he feels like Lunafreya would probably fit seamlessly into their group, as if she had been here from the very beginning.

"So Lady Lunafreya," Ignis begins.

"Please, just Luna is fine," she insists warmly.

"Alright, Luna, then," he amends around a small cough, the only sign that he is perhaps a little shy about moving so quickly to a nickname. "Correct me if I'm wrong but you are currently traveling around and awakening the Astrals from their slumber in anticipation of Noct's coming, so he can acquire their blessing."

"Indeed." Luna confirms his inquiry with a nod. "With the Archaean's location in closest proximity to myself at the time, it was only logical that I should make my way there first and foremost."

"Then… Your presence here means you had reason to be in the area too. Perhaps… another of the Six?"

"That is also true," Luna says, seemingly pleased that Ignis had caught on so easily. However, before she can begin to discuss the circumstances, Gentiana has already opened her mouth to speak.

"By the Stormbringer's blessing will the path to the stone be opened. The Oracle goes hence in her King's name, braving the eye of the storm so that the covenant may be formed. Bridging heaven and earth it strikes, the storm's ephemeral yet eternal light. To the light must go the King." Even more vague than the first time she spoke. Prompto finds himself wondering in bewilderment if the messenger always speaks in riddles.

Luna seems both amused and endeared, smiling at her companion and then turning back to their group to explain. "What Gentiana means to say is, we have awakened the Fulgurian and he awaits Noctis to complete his trial."

Noct clearly holds back a groan as he asks, "Another trial…?" Prompto can't blame him for being hesitant. The ordeal with Titan was already such a handful.

But Luna is quick to reassure him. "Worry not. I believe this trial shall prove far different from the previous one. Ramuh, despite being the bringer of storms, apparently has a far more temperate disposition than Titan."

"Good to know," Gladio muses, crossing his arms over the table. "Here's hopin' we won't have to fight him too."

"I can offer you this instruction," Luna then says. She gestures to the forest and beyond, the open wild on the outskirts of the outpost. "Search out the three runestones to gain the Stormbringer's blessing."

"Runestones, huh," Noct says quietly. "I guess that doesn't sound so bad. We just have to wander around until we find them..." He traces a few loose circles along the back of Prompto's hand, fingers smooth, a little cold against Prompto's skin. "I can do that."

"Of course you can." Luna's voice is warm, her smile tender. "If anyone can do it, you can. You should begin as soon as possible, though. The Fulgurian is more likely to be amiable if you don't keep him waiting, after all."

"Sound advice," Ignis concedes. "I suppose we should be taking our leave shortly."

"And what about you, Luna? Where are you headed to next?" Gladio asks. He stands from his seat and stretches, an action that spurs the rest of the group to move as well, the four of them slowly getting to their feet.

"The Hydraean slumbers in Accordo so I believe our next meeting will be in Altissia," Luna replies. "Though I am loathe to part, I trust we will be together once again in the near future."

"Yeah, of course. We'll get there as fast as we can, I promise," Noct tells her. "I'll get Ramuh's blessing and then we'll go straight to Altissia."

Luna practically beams at him. "Then I'll certainly look forward to seeing you again soon."

They begin to head their separate ways, clearcut tasks laid out before them. Ignis is already plotting out a route on their map and Gladio is starting to head back toward the caravan- but then Luna stops them with one final request, one that manages to catch Prompto completely by surprise and halts him in his tracks. "Actually, I should like for the chance to have a small private chat with Prompto, if that's alright," she says, taking a step forward and gesturing for Prompto to come with her.

"... Me?" Prompto almost squeaks, growing even more flustered when Noct lets go of his hand and pushes him toward Luna. And of course mere seconds are enough to make him miss the warmth of Noct's palm against his own, as usual. However, the thought of having to talk to Luna by himself is enough to chase that longing from his mind very quickly as he stumbles over his feet and tries to rebalance himself.

"Go on, Prom," Noct says, amusement coloring his words as well as Prompto's cheeks. "Luna doesn't bite, there's no need to be nervous."

Prompto tries to play it off, laughing as he sends an attempt at a glare back at Noct. "Who said I was nervous?" he counters, hoping he comes off as nonchalant even though he knows Noct can see right through him.

"Right." Noct rolls his eyes. "We'll be waiting for you by the caravan."

Prompto reluctantly watches Noct trod off with Ignis and Gladio and then turns back to where Luna is waiting for him, the gentlest of smiles on her lips. He's got this, he thinks to himself, taking a deep breath and pasting on a smile of his own. If he can talk back to a god and make it out alive, he can definitely handle speaking with Luna.

As he approaches her, she holds out her hand which Prompto hesitantly takes in his own, allowing her to lead him back toward one of the tables at Wiz's restaurant where she seats the two of them beside each other. "Thank you so much for agreeing to talk with me, I've longed to meet you for quite some time," Luna says earnestly. "Ever since I first wrote that letter to you after you helped my sweet Pryna when she was injured. And of course, I've heard so much about you from Noctis."

Prompto feels shy, but at the same time, there's a comforting air around her, one that slowly seems to put him at ease and relaxes his heartbeat from the whirlwind it had found itself in before. "Taking care of Pryna was my pleasure," he says, scratching at the back of his neck with his free hand. "I bet Noct told you a bunch of my embarrassing secrets, didn't he?" He laughs a little.

"On the contrary, I assure you it was only ever the highest praise," Luna replies warmly, laughing herself when Prompto becomes bashful again. "And I must say, none of it seems to be exaggerated. Truly, I can see how much you two care for each other just by the way you interact."

There's a twinkle in her eyes, the kind that makes Prompto feel like she maybe knows more than she's saying but isn't letting on, and it spreads a concentrated heat into his cheeks, warmth bubbling up and dancing underneath his freckles.

It's easier to pretend he hadn't noticed, because thinking about his feelings has always been too hard for him, because trying to put any of his relationship with Noct into words has never come easily. Instead, he says, "Of course I care about him. He's my best friend. And somebody's gotta make sure he doesn't get himself killed."

His phrasing seems to excite Luna, though, and she squeezes his hand, her eyes now full on glittering. "On that topic, Noctis isn't the only one who has been talking about you, you know."

Prompto's eyes widen. "Huh? Who else…?"

"The Astrals," Luna says, her tone so matter-of-fact that Prompto would have to think the information she had just stated was the most obvious fact in the world. "They've been whispering about a Guardian Angel to the King, a figure who has appeared completely contrary to the prophecy, who carries the fire of rebellion in his heart. That Guardian is you, is it not?"

"Could be," Prompto says, offering an awkward, sheepish grin. Gentiana had said something similar when he approached her, now that he thinks about it.

"No, no, I'm absolutely certain it's you. The very air around you is shifting," she says with burning curiosity. "You, by some strange twist, are not tied down by the strings of fate. I've never seen anything like this…" She pauses briefly, as if she's sifting through her thoughts and trying to put them into words. "Tell me," she at last adds, reaching over with her other hand to grasp Prompto's between her own. "Do you know what fate awaits Noctis currently?"

The scenes he had seen in a dream in the past hover somewhere beneath the surface and he has to swallow them down again before he can manage a nod. "Sort of," he says quietly. "I know that it's a cruel fate- and I know that I'm not going to let it happen under my watch."

Luna gazes at him with a tender gratitude that Prompto wonders if he even deserves, his heart fluttering in his chest. "I believe you. If anyone can protect Noctis, it's you. I know I said this once, long ago but… Please. Continue to remain ever at his side. Do what I could not and keep him safe." 

Something lingers in her words, something that comes close to regret, perhaps. Guilt that the Oracle herself could never have been in the position that Prompto finds himself in, that she never had the chance to protect the childhood friend for whom she cared so deeply, and instead was forced to see him simply as the King in a prophecy she never asked to be a part of. But beneath it all, hope still shines, and Prompto smiles back, genuinely, praying the sincerity of his words will reach her.

"I promise, Luna. I won't let anyone or anything harm him."

"Thank you," Luna says, joy blooming across her face. "Truly, thank you."

Gentiana's approach brings their conversation to a close, her sudden appearance behind Luna catching Prompto by surprise, although it seems to be nothing new to Luna. "Dearest, we must leave soon or we will not make it in time for the ferry," Gentiana says, her hands resting on Luna's shoulders.

"Goodness, I hadn't realized so much time had passed." Luna laughs and releases Prompto's hand so she can stand. "My apologies, Prompto, but I'm afraid I must take my leave now."

"No worries," Prompto tells her, standing up as well and waving at both Luna and Gentiana as they turn to head off down the path. "Don't let little old me keep you."

"Give the others my regards again. Oh, and Prompto." Luna stops for only a second to glance back at him with a knowing, conspiratorial grin, her eyes narrowed with mirth as she adds, "You should consider confessing your feelings to Noctis. Your efforts won't go to waste, I guarantee it."

At that, Prompto practically feels the heat exploding off of him, as if his insides were nothing but steam and all of it was released at once out of the top of his head. He's a stuttering, flustered mess unable to get a reply out, and Luna bursts out laughing, the sound rattling around in Prompto's skull even after she's gone.

Maybe there's something to what she says, but he's not ready to think about it just yet. He's got other, more pressing things to deal with first. Like protecting Noct, and dealing with the Fulgurian's trial.

As he meets back up with the others and they begin to head toward the edge of the Chocobo Post so they can begin the trial, a thought strikes Prompto and he can't stop a groan from leaving his lips. "Whatever is the matter?" Ignis asks him, almost affronted at the sudden outburst.

"It's not because of something Luna said, is it?" Noct asks, an eyebrow raised as he gives Prompto an amused look.

"No, I just realized that we still don't have the Regalia… We have to go find all those runestones on foot," Prompto explains sadly. His complaint gets a warm wave of laughter out of everyone and Prompto finds himself feeling content despite the mountain of walking looming before them.

He's definitely not going to let Luna down. He feels warm, reinvigorated as Noct takes his hand and they set out.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey I'm back at it again with my weird aus!!! I don't really know where this one came from but I have been thinking about it constantly so I decided you know what? I have to write this. Thanks to Iggy and Eru helping me figure out the plot, I have high hopes that I can manage to write the whole thing (which, looking at my planning is uh.... it's gonna be long.) I'll be adding tags as I go so look out for those. And this will be spanning the length of the full plot of the game with minor changes in the beginning that become much more drastic later on. So I'm looking forward to that. :) The title comes from the song [Heaven by Amber Run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpFfWYO2K08) which is a rad song so check it out if you haven't heard it before. Also, this is actually my first time starting a fic and deciding to post the chapters as I write them!!! Which I'm a little nervous about but I thought it might help keep me motivated to work on it knowing there are people who are interested and invested in what I'm writing. So!! If you like this, don't be afraid to leave comments and kudos~ (But please no critiques or criticisms as usual.) I don't know how often I will update but I'll do my best to get my ideas out!! Thanks so much for reading~


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